SERMONS, 


BY  THE 


REV.  JOHN  VENN,  M.A. 

LATE 

RECTOR  OF  CLAPHAM,  SURREY. 


dFUtJ  lEliitiott; 

THE  THREE  VOLUMES  OF  FORMER  EDITIONS  BEING 
COMPRIZED  IN  TWO. 


Vol..  II. 


LONDON : 

Printed  hy  EUerton  and  Henderson, 
Gougk  Square  : 

AND    PUBLISHED    BY  J.  HATCHARD   AND   SON,  PICCADILLY; 
L.  B.  SEELEY  &  SON,  FLEET  STREET  ;  AND 
HAMILTON,  ADAMS,  AND  CO,  PATERNOSTER  ROW. 


MDCCCXXVII. 


CONTENTS  OF  VOL,  II. 


SERMON  I. 

ON  THE  PROPER  EFFECTS  OF  THE  HOPE  OF 
HEAVEN. 

2  Peter  iii.  12. — Looking  for  and  hasting  unto  the  coming 
of  the  day  of  God  page  1 


SERMON  II. 

GODLINESS  PROFITABLE  TO  ALL  THINGS. 

1  Tim,  iv.  8. — Godliness  is  profitable  unto  all  things, 
having  promise  of  the  life  that  now  is,  and  of  that  which 
is  to  come   16 


SERMON  III. 

MEETNESS  FOR  HEAVEN,  WHEREIN  IT  CONSISTS. 

Coloss.  i.  12. — Giving  thanks  unto  the  Father,  which  hath 
made  us  meet  to  be  partakers  of  the  inheritance  of  the 
saints  in  light   32 


SERMON  IV. 

WALKING  IN  THE  SPIRIT,  THE  PRESERVATIVE 
FROM  THE  LUSTS  OF  THE  FLESH. 

Galat.  V.  16.— This  I  say,  then,  Walk  in  the  Spirit,  and  ye 
shall  not  fulfil  the  lust  of  the  flesh   49 


iv 


COXTEXTS. 


SERMON  V. 

REGARD  TO  GOD  THE  GREAT  PRESERVATIVE 
FROM  SIX. 

Got.  zxxix.  9. — ^How  then  can  I  do  this  great  wid^edness, 
and  sin  against  God  ?  page  66 

SERMOX  W. 

THE  WORK  OF  CHRIST. 

IjJbt  ir.  1^  19. — ^The  Spirit  of  the  Lord  is  upon  me,  be- 
canse  he  hadi  amnnted  me  to  preach  the  Gospel  to  the 
poor:  he  hath  sent  me  to  heal  the  broken  halted,  to 
preach  deliTerance  to  the  captiTes  and  recovering  of 
s^ht  to  the  blind,  to  set  at  liberty  them  that  are  bruised, 
to  preach  the  acceptable  year  of  the  Lord.    82 

SERMON  VII. 

THE  DUTY  OF  GLORIFYIXG  GOD. 

1  Cor.  X.  31. — Whether,  therefore,  ye  eat  or  drink,  or  what- 
soever ye  do,  do  all  to  the  glory  of  God   97 

SERMOX  VIII. 

PROOFS  AXD  REASONS  OF  THE  SUFFERIXGS  OF 
THE  SOX  OF  GOD. 

(P&EJkCSED  OX  GOOD  FUDAT.) 

Itaak  VaL  3-6. — He  is  despised  and  rejected  of  men,  a 
man  of  sorrows  and  acquainted  with  grief;  and  we 
hid,  as  it  were,  our  fiices  from  him:  he  was  de^Hsed,  and 
we  esteemed  him  not.  Surely  he  hath  borne  oar  griefs, 
and  carried  our  sorrows :  yet  we  did  esteem  him  stricken, 
smitten  of  God,  and  afflicted.  But  he  was  wounded 
for  our  transgressions,  he  was  bruised  for  our  iniquities ; 
the  chastisemoit  of  our  peace  was  upon  him,  and  with 
his  stripes  we  are  healed.  All  we  like  sheep  have  gone 
astray ;  we  hare  turned  CTery  one  to  his  own  way,  and 
the  Lord  hath  laid  on  Him  the  iniquity  of  us  all  113 


CONTENTS. 


V 


SERMON  IX. 

ON  THE  PEACE  ARISING  FROM  TRUST  IN  GOD. 

Isaiah  xxvi.  3. — Thou  wilt  keep  hira  in  perfect  peace 
whose  mind  is  stayed  on  thee,  because  he  trusteth  in 
thee  page  129 


SERMON  X. 

ON  BEARING  THE  CROSS  AND  FOLLOWING 
CHREST. 

Luke  xiv.  27. — And  whosoever  doth  not  bear  his  cross, 
and  come  after  me,  cannot  be  my  disciple   147 


SERMON  XI. 

HOW  TO  USE  THE  M'ORLD,  SO  AS  NOT  TO  ABUSE  IT, 

1  Cor.  vii.  29-31  But  this  I  say,  brethren,  the  time  is 

short :  it  remaineth  that  both  they  that  have  wives  be 
as  though  they  had  none ;  and  they  that  weep,  as  though 
they  wept  not ;  and  they  that  rejoice,  as  though  they  re- 
joiced not ;  and  they  that  buy,  as  though  they  possessed 
not ;  and  they  that  use  this  world,  as  not  abusing  it ; 
for  the  fashion  of  this  world  passeth  away   1 60 


SERMON  XII. 

ON  THE  JUSTICE  OF  GOD. 

2  Cor.  V  11. — Knowing,  therefore,  the  terror  of  the  Lord, 
we  persuade  men   173 


SERMON  XIII. 

ON  THE  PARENTAL  CHARACTER  OF  GOD. 
X)eut.  xxxii.  6. — Is  not  he  thy  Father?   l&H 


vi 


CONTENTS. 


SERMON  XIV. 

ON  THE  ATONEMENT. 

Heb,  ix.  22. — And  without  shedding  of  blood  is  no  remis- 
sion 'PO-g^  204) 

SERMON  XV. 

ON  THE  NATURE  OF  HUMAN  CORRUPTION. 

Rom.  viii.  7. — The  caraal  mind  is  enmity  against  God;  for 
it  is  not  subject  to  the  law  of  God,  neither  indeed  can 
be   219 


SERMON  XVI. 

ON  THE  INABILITY  OF  MAX. 
John  XV.  5. — Without  me  ye  can  do  nothing    235 

SERMON  XVII. 

ON   THE   CONNECTION  BETWEEN  REGENERATION 
AND  OTHER  DOCTRINES   OF  THE  GOSPEL. 

John  iii.  1-3. — There  was  a  man  of  the  Pharisees,  named 
Nicodemus,  a  ruler  of  the  Jews.  The  same  came  to 
Jesus  by  night,  and  said  unto  him,  Rabbi,  we  know 
that  thou  art  a  teacher  come  from  God ;  for  no  man  can 
do  these  miracles  that  thou  doest,  except  God  be  with 
him.  Jesus  answered  and  said  unto  him,  Verily,  verily, 
I  say  unto  thee,  Except  a  man  be  born  again,  he  cannot 
see  the  kingdom  of  God   250 


SERMON  XVIII. 

OX  JUSTIFICATION. 

Ephes.  ii.  8-10. — By  grace  are  ye  saved,  through  faith ; 
and  that  not  of  yourselves,  it  is  the  gift  of  God  :  n  ot  of 
works,  lest  any  man  should  boast.  For  we  are  his  work- 
manship, created  in  Christ  Jesus  unto  good  works,  which 
God  hath  before  ordained  that  we  should  walk  in  them  265 


CONTENTS.  VU 


SERMON  XIX. 

ON  THE  NATURE  OF  TRUE  RELIGION. 

Rom,  xiv.  17.— The  kingdom  of  God  is  not  meat  and 
drink,  but  righteousness  and  peace,  and  joy  in  the  Holy 
Ghost  page  282 

SERMON  XX. 

ON  THE  POWER  AND  GLORY  OF  CHRIST. 

Coloss,  i.  18,  19. — That  in  all  things  he  might  have  the  pre- 
eminence :  for  it  pleased  the  Father  that  in  him  should 
all  fulness  dwell    297 

SERMON  XXI. 

ON   THE   RESURRECTION   OF   THE  BODY. 
(preached  on  EASTER -day.) 

Phil.  iii.  21. — Who  shall  change  our  vile  body,  that  it  may 
be  fashioned  like  unto  his  glorious  body,  according  to 
the  working  whereby  he  is  able  even  to  subdue  all  things 
unto  himself.   312 

SERMON  XXII. 

THE   CHRISTIAiV's  PRIVILEGES. 

1  Cor,  iii.  21-23. — All  things  are  yours  :  whether  Paul, 
or  Apollos,  or  Cephas,  or  the  world,  or  life,  or  death, 
or  things  present,  or  things  to  come ;  all  are  yours :  and 
ye  are  Christ's,  and  Christ  is  God's    325 

SERMON  XXIII. 

ON   THE   UNIVERSAL    INFLUENCE    OF  CHRISTIAN 
PRINCIPLES. 

Matt,  vi.  22, 23.— The  light  of  the  body  is  the  eye  :  if  there- 
fore thine  eye  be  single,  thy  whole  body  shall  be  full  of 
light :  but  if  thine  eye  be  evil,  thy  whole  body  shall  be 
full  of  darkness.  If  therefore  the  light  that  is  in  thee 
be  darkness,  how  great  is  that  darkness  !    342 


viii 


CONTENTS. 


SERMON  XXIV. 

ON  THE   christian's  HOPE. 
Rom.  V.  2.— We  rejoice  in  hope  of  the  glory  of  God.  page  359 

SERMON  XXV. 

ON  THE  christian's  PEACE. 

John  jtiv.  27. — Peace  I  leave  with  you ;  my  peace  I  give 
unto  you  :  not  as  the  world  giveth  give  I  unto  you.  Let 
not  your  heart  be  troubled,  neither  let  it  be  afraid    376 

SERMON  XXVI. 

ON  THE   nature   OF  THE  CHRISTIAN  MINISTRY. 

Coloss,  i.  28. — Whom  we  preach,  warning  every  man,  and 
teaching  every  man  in  all  wisdom ;  that  we  may  present 
every  man  perfect  in  Christ  Jesus    392 

SERMON  XXVII. 

ON   SPIRITUAL  MINDEDNESS. 

Coloss.  iii.  1-3. — If  ye  then  be  risen  with  Christ,  seek  those 
things  which  are  above,  where  Christ  sitteth  on  the  right 
hand  of  God.  Set  your  affection  on  things  above,  not 
on  things  on  the  earth.  For  ye  are  dead,  and  your  life 
is  hid  with  Christ  in  God   406 

SERMON  XXVIII. 

ON   INTERCESSION   FOR  OTHERS. 

1  Tim.  ii.  1.— I  exhort,  therefore,  that,  first  of  all,  supplica- 
tions, prayers,  intercessions,  and  giving  of  thanks,  be 
made  for  all  men   423 

SERMON  XXIX. 

ON  THE  MOTIVES  TO  CHRISTIAN  OBEDIENCE. 

Rom.  xii.  I.— I  beseech  you,  therefore,  brethren,  by  the 
mercies  of  God    •  


CONTENTS.  IX 


SERMON  XXX. 

ON   THE  BENEFIT  OF   THE  SABBATH. 

Nehem.  xiii.  15-18. — In  those  days  saw  I  in  Judah  some 
treading  wine-presses  on  the  Sabbath,  and  bringing  in 
sheaves,  and  lading  asses  :  as  also  wine,  grapes,  and  figs, 
and  all  manner  of  burdens,  which  they  brought  into  Je- 
rusalem on  the  Sabbath-day  :  and  I  testified  against  them 
in  the  day  wherein  they  sold  victuals.  There  dwelt  men 
of  Tyre  also  therein,  which  brought  fish,  and  all  manner 
of  ware,  and  sold  on  the  Sabbath  unto  the  children  of 
Judah,  and  in  Jerusalem.  Then  I  contended  with  the 
nobles  of  Judah,  and  said  unto  them,  What  evil  thing  is 
this  that  ye  do,  and  profane  the  Sabbath-day  ?  Did  not 
your  fathers  thus,  and  did  not  our  God  bring  all  this  evil 
upon  us,  and  upon  this  city  ?  Yet  ye  bring  more  wrath 
upon  Israel  by  profaning  the  Sabbath  page  454 

SERMON  XXXI. 

ox   SOUNDNESS   OF   MIND   IN  RELIGION. 

2  Tim.  i.  7. — God  hath  given  us  the  spirit  of  a  sound 

mind   469 

SERMON  XXXII. 

ON   SOUNDNESS   OF   MIND   IN  KELIGION. 

2  Tim.  'i.  7.  — God  hath  given  us  the  spirit  of  a  sound 

mind      486 

SERMON  XXXIII. 

ON    THE   PURPOSES   OF   GOD    IN  CHASTENING 
MAN. 

Deut.  viii.  2—6. — And  thou  shalt  remember  all  the  way 
which  the  Lord  thy  God  led  thee  these  forty  years  in  the 
wilderness,  to  humble  thee  and  to  prove  thee ;  to  know 
what  was  in  thine  heart,  whether  thou  wouldest  keep  his 
commandments  or  no.  And  he  humbled  thee,  and  suf- 
fered thee  to  hunger ;  and  fed  thee  with  manna,  which 


X 


CONTENTS. 


thou  knewest  not,  neither  did  thy  fathers  know,  that  he 
might  make  thee  know  that  man  doth  not  live  by  bread 
only,  but  by  every  word  that  proceedeth  out  of  the 
mouth  of  the  Lord  doth  man  live.  Thy.  raiment  waxed 
not  old  upon  thee,  neither  did  thy  foot  swell  these  forty 
years.  Thou  shalt  also  consider  in  thine  heart,  that  as  a 
man  chasteneth  his  son,  so  the  Lord  thy  God  chasteneth 
thee.  Therefore,  thou  shall  keep  the  commandments 
of  the  Lord  thy  God,  to  walk  in  his  ways,  and  to  fear 
him  ,page 


.;'iLo,  i<C^  1881 
THSOLOGI0:S.L 


SERMON  I. 


OS  THE  PROPER  EFFECTS  OF  THE  HOPE  OF 
HEAVEN. 


2  PETER  iii.  12. 

Looking  for  and  hasting  unto  the  coming  of  the  day 
of  God, 

It  is  a  most  painful  proof  of  the  imperfection 
and  depravity  of  our  nature,  that  even  the  highest 
and  noblest  parts  of  religion  itself,  the  subjects 
which  occupy  the  constant  attention  of  the 
blessed  inhabitants  of  heaven,  the  motives  which 
influence  their  noblest  exertions,  the  causes 
which  produce  their  highest  happiness,  operate 
upon  our  minds  with  a  languor  and  feebleness 
which,  as  there  can  be  nothing  defective  or  weak 
in  them,  argues  a  lamentable  degree  of  imper- 
fection in  us.  In  truth,  our  minds  are  so  in- 
disposed to  receive  the  same  impressions,  and 
experience  so  little  congeniality  with  eternal 
subjects,  that  we  scarcely  give  them  any  serious 
consideration.  We  regard  them  as  if  they  were 
merely  temporal,  and  we  regard  temporal  sub- 
jects as  if  they  were  eternal.  We  thus  are  ever 
reversing  the  proper  order  of  things ;  and  our 
conduct  and  feelings  are  at  variance  with  the  con- 
victions of  our  judgment.    We  believe  that  this 

VOL.  II.  B 


2  PROPER  EFFECTS  OF 

life  is  a  mere  point,  in  comparison  of  the  life  to 
come :  we  act  as  if  it  were  infinitely  more  import- 
ant. We  believe  that  the  life  to  come  will  endure 
through  endless  ages  :  we  act  as  if  it  were  as  short 
as  the  present  fleeting  existence.  We  believe  that 
this  life  is  a  scene  of  vanity  and  vexation :  we  act 
as  if  it  were  the  only  place  of  rest  and  enjoyment. 
We  believe  that  heaven  is  the  seat  of  infinite  and 
ever-during  happiness,  in  which  age  rolls  on  after 
age,  in  endless  succession,  without  any  diminu- 
tion of  enjoyment :  we  act  as  if  it  were  not  worth 
our  while  to  bestow  any  pains  in  securing  a  share 
in  that  heavenly  inheritance. 

It  may  be  said,  indeed,  that  if  our  minds  were 
occupied  by  the  contemplation  of  heaven,  in  a  de- 
gree proportioned  to  its  excellence,  we  should  be 
unfit  for  the  ordinary  business  of  the  world.  This 
world,"  it  may  be  said,  is  doubtless  a  poor  and 
mean  place,  in  comparison  of  heaven;  its  employ- 
ments low  and  sordid  ;  its  enjoyments  few  and 
imperfect  and  transitory :  yet  it  is  the  world  in 
which  our  Creator  has  placed  us  for  a  time ;  and 
he  has  given  us  capacities  and  feelings  and  tastes 
congenial  to  it.  He  has  made  it  necessary  for  us 
to  toil  and  labour  in  it;  and  the  constitution  of 
the  world  is  such  as  to  require  attention  and 
activity,  and  a  considerable  degree  even  of  eager- 
ness and  solicitude  about  worldly  things,  in  order 
to  discharge  the  necessary  offices  of  life.  It  be- 
comes our  duty,  therefore,  whilst  we  are  in  the 
world,  not  to  undervalue  it  too  much,  nor  to  long 
after  another  in  such  a  manner  as  would  tend  to 
disqualify  us  for  this." 

This  objection  would  be  very  formidable,  if  it 


THE  HOPE  OF  HEAVEN. 


3 


were  founded  on  true  premises ;  for^  undoubt- 
edly, whatever  tends  to  unfit  us  for  the  ordinary 
duties  of  life,  as  well  as  whatever  tends  to  render 
us  dissatisfied  with  our  present  lot,  must  be 
wrong.  But  it  will  be  easy  to  shew,  that  all  the 
objections  which  represent  that  joyful  hope  and 
earnest  desire  of  heaven  which  religion  inspires, 
as  incompatible  with  the  business  of  this  life,  are 
founded  upon  a  misapprehension  of  the  nature 
either  of  that  hope,  or  of  the  proper  business 
of  life. 

I.  If  our  hope  and  desire  of  heaven  were  of  a 
nature  to  produce  either  discontent  or  listless  indo- 
lence, with  respect  to  the  aff*airs  of  this  life,  we 
admit  they  might  fairly  be  represented  as  inj  urious. 
But  this  is  very  far  from  being  the  case.  Indeed, 
there  is  nothing  which  tends  more  to  repress 
discontent,  and  to  excite  a  cheerful  spirit  of 
thankfulness  to  God,  than  the  hope  in  question. 
It  soothes  us,  amidst  all  our  troubles,  with  the 
cheering  contemplation  of  a  glorious  state  of  rest 
and  enjoyment,  when  this  short  and  fleeting  life 
is  ended.  It  represents  all  the  afflictions  we 
suffer  here  as  very  light,  as  enduring  but  for  a 
moment,  and  as  working  out  for  us  a  far  more 
exceeding,  even  an  eternal,  weight  of  glory. 
What  man  will  be  discontented  with  his  state,  be 
it  what  it  may,  if  he  knows  that  it  is  but  for 
a  moment,  and  if  he  has  before  his  eyes  a  scene 
of  boundless  happiness  to  which  it  is  intro- 
ductory ?  No  :  it  is  the  man  who  is  earthly- 
minded,  who  builds  all  his  hopes  on  this  world, 
and  expects  no  other  enjoyment  but  what  this 

B  2 


4 


PROPER  JiFFECTS  OF 


uncertain  life  may  afford  :  he  it  is  who,  when  he 
is  crossed  and  disappointed  in  his  expectations, 
is  apt  to  murmur  at  his  lot,  to  sink  into  despair, 
and  even  to  loathe  the  boon  of  life.  A  worldly- 
frame  of  mind  is  fitted  to  feel  trouble  and  afflic- 
tion keenly  and  bitterly;  heavenly-mindedness 
teaches  us  to  use  the  world  without  overvaluing 
it :  to  enjoy  its  lawful  pleasures,  yet  not  unduly 
to  grieve  for  their  loss.  And  if  ever  religion  fails 
ultimately  to  produce  cheerfulness,  it  is  because 
it  has  not  had  its  proper  and  full  influence  :  it  is 
because  it  has  not  yet  produced  a  lively  and 
cheering  hope  of  immortality. 

Neither  does  a  just  hope  of  heaven  tend  to 
produce  a  listless  indolence  with  respect  to  the 
lawful  business  of  this  life :  for  heaven,  when 
rightly  understood,  is  but  the  perfection  of  holi- 
ness, the  complete  and  perfect  fulfilment  of  the 
will  of  our  heavenly  Father.  The  happiness  of 
heaven  consists  in  submission  to  God's  appoint- 
ments, and  active  obedience  to  his  will.  It  is  not 
a  paradise  of  sensual  enjoyment,  and  dishonour- 
able sloth;  but  it  is  the  exertion  of  the  best 
energies  of  the  soul,  directed  to  the  highest  and 
noblest  objects.  He,  therefore,  who  entertains 
a  just  idea  of  heaven,  and  desires  its  happiness, 
will  be  disposed  by  that  very  desire  to  be  active 
in  doing  whatever  is  pure,  and  just,  and  honour- 
able, and  holy  :  and  his  activity  will  flow  from 
the  noblest  and  the  most  powerful  motives  by 
which  men  or  angels  can  be  influenced. 


II.  The  objection  is  likewise  founded  on  a  mis- 
apprehension of  the  proper  business  of  life. — If, 


THE  HOPE  OF  HEAVEN. 


5 


indeed,  the  business  of  life  consisted  in  accumu- 
lating worldly  conveniences,  in  obtaining  worldly 
possessions,  in  gratifying  to  the  utmost  worldly 
passions,  then  the  hope  of  heaven,  deeply  im- 
planted in  the  mind,  might  unfit  us  for  an  eager 
application  to  such  pursuits  ;  but  the  true  busi- 
ness of  life,  as  intended  by  our  Creator,  and 
sanctioned  by  reason  and  religion,  is  of  a  very 
different  kind :  it  is  to  fulfil  most  conscientiously 
all  the  duties  we  owe  to  God  ;  the  duties  of  piety, 
love,  reverence,  resignation,  confidence,  hjumility, 
obedience  ; — as  well  as  the  duties  we  owe  to  our 
fellow-creatures.  It  is  to  be  diligent  in  the  dis- 
charge of  the  duties  of  our  station  ;  to  be  meek 
and  merciful,  kind  and  forgiving,  just  and  tem- 
perate in  all  our  conduct.  And  as  for  worldly 
desires  and  pleasures,  our  business  is  to  bring 
them  under  subjection ;  to  be  very  moderate  and 
guarded  in  our  pursuit  of  them,  while  we  sit 
loose  to  the  world,  despise  its  vanities,  and  are 
indifferent  to  its  pomps.  If  this  be  a  just  view 
of  the  business  of  life,  it  is  evident  that,  in  the 
hope  of  heaven,  there  is  nothing  which  does  not 
coincide  with  it,  and  which  will  not  tend  to  make 
a  man  fulfil,  more  faithfully  and  diligently,  every 
obligation  of  life. 

Indeed,  it  must  be  acknowledged,  that  the 
grand  business  of  religion  is  to  correct  those 
views,  and  mortify  those  dispositions,  which 
nourish  worldliness  of  mind.  We  must  remem- 
ber that  this  is  a  fallen  world,  and  that  we 
inherit  a  corrupt  nature ;  and  that  God  has  or- 
dained religion  as  a  means  of  weaning  the  heart 
from  the  love  of  the  world  and  its  objects,  and 


O  PROPilR  EFFECTS  OF 

fixing  the  affections  upon  higher  and  better  things 
above.  This  life  is  not  the  whole,  nor  even  the 
principal  part,  of  our  existence  ;  nay,  it  is  only 
an  extremely  small  part  of  it.  We  are  apt,  in- 
deed, to  place  far  too  high  a  value  upon  it.  But 
it  never  ought  to  be  considered,  by  us,  in  any 
other  view  than  as  it  stands  related  to  the  life  to 
come ;  the  life  which  endures  through  millions  of 
ages ;  the  glorious  inheritance  to  which  we  are 
born  again  in  Christ  Jesus.  Hence  religion  is 
continually  setting  before  us  that  world,  and  that 
life,  and  exhorting  us  to  become  dead  to  this 
world ;  that  a  better  life  may  be  laid  up  for  us 
above  with  Christ  in  God.  How  reasonable  and 
how  just  an  expectation  !  My  brethren,  if  there 
is  indeed  an  eternal  life  to  come,  never,  never 
ought  it  to  be  long  absent  from  our  contemplation. 
It  ought  to  be  the  grand  regulator  of  all  our 
present  desires,  hopes,  pursuits,  and  employ- 
ments. Never,  never  do  we  live  aright,  because 
we  never  live  rationally,  till  our  life  here  is  ren- 
dered w^holly  subservient  to  that  w^hich  is  to 
come.  Never  can  we  have  even  the  true  enjoy- 
ment of  this  life  till  we  are  looking  for  and  hasthis 
to  the  coming  of  Christ;  looking  for  it  with 
anxiety,  as  the  consummation  of  all  our  wishes  : 
and  hasting  to  it,  as  a  person  just  finishing  a 
painful  journey  hastens  his  steps  as  he  draws  near 
to  his  beloved  home. 

The  hope  of  heaven  is  a  principle  peculiarly 
Christian.  Life  and  immortality  were  communi- 
cated by  Christ.  Heaven  is  his  kingdom,  pre- 
pared by  him  for  the  reception  of  his  disciples, 
that  where  he  is  there  they  may  be  also.    In  the 


THE  HOPE  OF  HEAVEN, 


7 


heathen  world,  the  views  of  a  future  state  were  too 
dark  and  uncertain  to  render  it  an  object  of  hope 
or  strong  desire  ;  and,  even  in  the  Jewish  dispen- 
sation, the  nature  of  the  life  to  come,  its  certainty 
and  glory,  were  only  darkly  revealed,  and  became 
a  strong  spring  of  action  only  to  the  few  who 
studied  the  Word  of  God  with  a  more  than  ordi- 
nary degree  of  attention  and  humility.  But  our 
blessed  Saviour,  who  is  himself  the  Resurrection 
snd  the  Life,  has  revealed  to  us  the  future  world 
fully  and  clearly  :  he  has  set  it  before  us,  as  a 
constant  object  of  hope  and  motive  to  action, — 
the  purest,  the  noblest,  and  the  strongest  which 
can  animate  the  human  breast.  The  possession 
of  this  hope  lightens  every  care  ;  soothes  every 
sorrow;  and  enables  us  to  bear  the  heaviest 
afflictions  without  repining.  It  endears  to  us  the 
blessed  dispensation  in  which  it  is  revealed  :  it 
gives  a  new,  a  holy,  a  delightful  aspect  to  this  life, 
and  elevates  its  importance  when  considered  as  a 
preparative  for  endless  felicity :  and  it  throws  a 
glorious  splendour  about  that  exalted  Saviour, 
who  bestows  upon  us  such  an  inheritance  as  the 
reward  of  our  faithful  service.  Through  this 
glorious  hope  many  have  triumphed  in  the 
flames  :  others  have  been  tortured,  not  accepting 
deliverance,  that  they  might  obtain  a  better  re- 
surrection :  and  the  whole  body  of  real  Christians, 
in  every  age,  have  held  on  their  way,  through 
the  wilderness  of  this  world,  patient,  and  even 
joyful  in  tribulation ;  have  lived  in  all  purity,  and 
died  in  peace;  trusting,  through  a  Saviour's  in- 
tercession and  grace,  to  obtain  a  glorious  king- 
dom above. 


8 


PROPER  EFFECTS  OF 


My  Christian  brethren, — on  whom,  as  your 
minister  in  Christ,  it  is  my  duty  to  urge  every 
Christian  motive, — I  earnestly  and  affectionately 
pray  that  I  may  be  made  instrumental,  through 
the  Divine  blessing,  in  building  you  up  in  your 
most  holy  faith,  and  in  training  you  for  the 
mansions  of  eternal  glory.  You  believe  in  the 
life  to  come  :  you  acknowledge  that  heaven  con- 
tains every  thing  to  which  your  purest  and  dear- 
est hopes  can  aspire  :  but  still  I  fear  lest  the 
impression  produced  by  this  persuasion  should 
not  be  deep,  and  powerful,  and  abiding.  It  is 
possible  to  hold  all  Christian  doctrines ;  and  yet 
to  hold  them  so  coldly,  so  negligently,  so  much 
as  a  mere  matter  of  speculation,  that  no  practical 
benefit,  no  regenerating  influence  on  the  heart, 
no  sanctifying  operation  on  the  life,  no  joyful 
elevation  of  the  affections,  is  derived  from  it. 
May  you,  my  brethren,  so  hold  every  Christian 
doctrine  as  to  derive  from  it  all  the  good  which 
it  was  intended  to  communicate ;  and,  in  par- 
ticular, so  to  hold  the  doctrine  of  the  life  to 
come,  that  it  may  engross  your  best  contempla- 
tions; that  it  may  intermix  itself  with  all  your 
feelings  ;  that  it  may  become  your  grand,  ready, 
and  universal  ground  of  action  ;  that  it  may  give 
the  tone  to  your  whole  character  ;  that  it  may  be 
your  chief  consolation,  your  great  source  of  joy, 
your  support  in  trials,  your  crown  of  glory  in 
prosperity,  your  delight  through  life,  your  tri- 
umph in  death.  God  grant  that  I  may  be  enabled 
so  to  instruct  and  exhort  you,  and  so  to  direct 
you  to  Him  whose  power  is  almighty  to  bless  his 
servants,  that  these  may  be  the  happy  effects 


THE  HOPE  OF  HEAVEN. 


9 


resulting  from  your  belief  of  the  doctrines  of  the 
Gospel  of  Christ  and  the  possession  of  the  hope 
which  they  inspire. 

But  before  these  effects  can  be  expected  to  fol- 
low from  the  hope  of  future  glory,  it  is  necessary 
that  it  should  be  strongly  felt,  and  that  we  should 
be  able  to  appropriate  it  to  ourselves. 

1.  Faith  is  defined  by  the  Apostles  to  be  the 
substance  of  things  hoped  for,  and  the  evidence 
of  things  not  seen ;  that  is,  it  gives  a  deep  and 
abiding  subsistence  in  the  mind  to  all  the  objects 
of  our  hopes,  and  it  causes  things  invisible  to  be- 
come as  clear  and  obvious  to  us  as  if  they  were 
the  objects  of  our  sight.  We  ought,  then,  so  to 
believe  in  the  happiness  of  the  world  to  come,  as 
if  we  actually  saw  the  heavens  opened,  and  wit- 
nessed the  glory  there  enjoyed.  What  impression 
would  not  such  a  view  be  calculated  to  make  upon 
us  !  How  continually  would  it  be  the  object  of 
our  meditation,  the  subject  of  comparison  with  the 
present  world  !  How  frequently  should  we  refer 
to  it  as  the  standard  by  which  all  our  ideas  of 
excellence  should  be  tried  !  How  scrupulously 
should  we  direct  the  course  of  our  life  here,  so  as 
to  secure  an  inheritance  in  it!  Now  true  faith 
gives  that  credit  to  the  revelation  of  God  which 
we  give  to  the  testimony  of  our  senses ;  and,  if  we 
are  fully  persuaded  of  the  truth  of  Revelation,  we 
ought  therefore  to  think,  and  feel,  and  act,  as  if 
we  had  seen  the  judgment-seat  of  Christ,  beheld 
the  awful  doom  of  impenitent  sinners,  and  wit- 
nessed the  glories  of  the  blessed  inhabitants  of 
heaven.  What  manner  of  persons,  then,  ought 
we  to  be  in  all  holy  conversation,  who  have  such 


10 


PROPER  EFFECTS  OF 


hopes  set  before  us  !    O  let  us  live  more  accord- 
ing to  those  hopes ;  more  as  the  heirs  of  such 
an  inheritance  !    Let  us  more  frequently  con- 
template the  bright  prospects  set  before  us. 
Let  us  pray  for  the  Spirit  of  illumination  and 
grace,  by  which  we  may  know  what  is  the  hope 
of  our  calling,  and  what  the  riches  of  the  glory 
of  the  inheritance  of  Christ.    How  would  even 
one  quarter  of  an  hour  employed  each  day  in 
serious  meditation  on  eternal  things  raise  us 
above  this  vain  world  !  What  transporting  views 
would  it  not  open  to  us  !  What  different  feelings 
respecting  all  the  troubles  and  events  of  this 
life  would  it  not  give  to  us !    Let  me  entreat 
you,  as  you  value  heaven  and  the  hope  of  dwell- 
ing in  it  hereafter,  not  to  permit  this  world  to 
engross  your  thoughts  when  God  has  set  before 
you  another,  so  infinitely  more  worthy  of  your 
solicitude. 

2.  But  then  the  grand  endeavour  should  be  to 
appropriate  this  hope  to  yourselves. — It  is  not 
sufficient  that  a  hope  of  glory  should  be  laid 
up  for  the  righteous,  and  that  so  many  precious 
promises  have  been  made  to  the  church  of  Christ : 
you  must  lay  in  your  claim  to  a  participation  of 
them  ;  you  must  appropriate  them  to  yourselves ; 
you  must  yourselves  possess  a  lively  hope,  and 
be  looking  for  and  hasting  to  the  day  of  the 
coming  of  Christ,  as  the  great  day  of  your  hopes, 
of  your  deliverance  from  evil,  of  your  long-ex- 
pected salvation. 

But  in  order  that  your  hope  may  not  ultimately 
deceive  you,  it  must  be  xvc II- founded.  God  for- 
bid that  you  should,  upon  jslight  and  insufficient 


THE  HOPE  OF  HEAVEN. 


11 


grounds,  take  up  a  hope  which,  whatever  present 
comfort  it  might  afford  you,  would  only  terminate 
in  your  destruction.  Too  much  care  cannot  be 
bestowed  in  examining  the  foundation  of  your 
hope ;  and  it  is  infinitely  better  to  be  in  a  state  of 
salvation,  though  we  derive  no  consolation  from 
the  hope  of  it,  than  to  abound  in  hope  and  joy, 
and,  at  length,  to  find  that  that  hope  and  joy  were 
vain  and  deceitful.  Great  caution  should,  there- 
fore be  used  in  the  indulgence  of  hope  ;  but  then, 
on  the  other  hand,  when  well  founded,  it  should 
be  carefully  cherished.  The  Scriptures  evidently 
mean  to  communicate  hope.  The  whole  tenor  of 
the  Gospel  is  calculated  to  impart  it.  All  the 
primitive  Christians  rejoiced  in  hope.  It  cannot 
be  doubted  that  hope,  if  well-founded,  would  have 
a  most  powerful  effect  both  upon  our  comfort  and 
our  improvement ;  and  that  it  will  have  this 
effect  exactly  in  proportion  to  its  being  well 
founded.  Let  us  not,  therefore,  cast  away  our 
confidence,  because  it  is  liable  to  be  abused ; 
nor,  in  all  cases,  reject  the  comfort  of  hope,  be- 
cause, in  some,  it  may  not  be  well-founded.  Let 
us  seek  for  the  grace  of  hope ;  but  let  us  search 
our  ways  and  try  our  hearts,  in  order  that  our 
hope  may  stand  the  test  of  that  day,  when 
righteousness  will  be  laid  to  the  line  and  judgment 
to  the  plummet. 

What  is  the  just  foundation  of  hope  it  would 
be  impossible  to  describe,  at  much  length,  in  a 
single  sermon.  It  is,  in  fact,  the  grand  object  of 
my  preaching  to  explain  that  point,  and  to  press 
it  upon  your  consideration.  It  will  be  sufficient 
to  observe,  in  this  place,  that  all  our  hope  must 


12 


PROPER  EFFECTS  OF 


be  built  upon  what  the  Son  of  God  has  done  and 
suffered  for  us.    His  merit  must  form  the  true 
and  only  basis  of  our  hope,  and  on  his  gracious 
intercession  in  our  behalf  must  our  confidence  be 
placed.    But  when  this  is  acknowledged  in  the 
fullest  manner,  it  must  still  be  observed,  that  our 
hope  has  not  been  truly  built  upon  the  Rock  of 
our  salvation,  unless  we  also  find  that  it  has 
received  the  sanction  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  by  the 
fruits  which  it  produces  under  his  holy  influence. 
An  unholy  person  ought  not  to  rejoice  in  hope; 
and  before  he  can,  he  must  have  done  violence  to 
his  conscience,  which  will  again  and  again  resist 
all  efforts  to  create  a  peace  and  hope  which  are 
not  well  founded. — And  here  appears  the  value  of 
a  just  and  scriptural  system  of  religious  doctrine. 
A  false  and  erroneous  system  may  encourage  a 
spurious  hope ;  but  with  a  true  system  no  one  can 
attain  to  a  blessed  hope  of  immortality,  unless 
his  conscience  first  sets  to  its  seal  that  he  is 
faithful  and  upright  before  God.    It  is  the  busi- 
ness of  many  persons  to  labour  after  the  posses- 
sion of  a  joyful  hope  by  clearer  views  of  doctrine, 
by  resting  more  resolutely  upon  some  particular 
promise,  by  an  exclusive  attention  to  the  conso- 
latory passages  of  Scripture:  but  their  hopes, 
so  acquired,  are  often  suddenly  thrown  down 
by  the  stubbornness  of  conscience,  which  will 
not  sanction  their  delusion.    What  such  persons 
want  is  a  purer  conduct,  rather  than  clearer  views 
of  doctrine.    Let  them  pray  more  seriously  ;  let 
them  read  the  word  of  God  more  attentively ; 
let  them  be  more  careful  to  omit  no  duty,  and  to 
persist  in  no  sin  ;  and  this  conduct  will  more 


THK  HOPE  OF  HEAVEN. 


13 


speedily  and  more  certainly  produce  in  them  a 
solid  hope,  than  any  mere  improvement  in  their 
doctrinal  system. 

Indeed,  it  is  well  for  us  that  it  pleases  God,  in 
general,  to  withhold  peace  wherever  it  ought  not 
to  subsist,  and  that  he  has  entrusted  conscience 
to  give  its  sanction  to  peace;  else  multitudes 
would  fatally  deceive  themselves  by  an  unfound- 
ed hope,  which  would  awfully  disappoint  them 
at  the  last  day.  Conscience  is  God's  vicegerent, 
and  our  guard :  let  us  reverence  its  monitions, 
and  it  will  be  equally  faithful  to  God  and  friendly 
to  ourselves. 

There  are  many,  however,  who  have  the  testi- 
mony of  their  conscience,  and  of  the  word  of 
God,  that  they  are  entitled  to  a  joyful  hope  of 
the  glory  ready  to  be  revealed.  Faithful  disciples 
of  Christ,  acknowledging  with  all  humility,  their 
unworthiness,  and  lamenting  it  continually  before 
God,  yet  resting  on  the  gracious  promises  of  a 
Saviour,  and  the  value  of  his  atoning  blood,  and 
walking  circumspectly,  in  all  uprightness  of 
heart,  they  have  a  good  foundation  for  this  hope. 
They  ought  to  know,  and  to  value,  and  to  exercise 
their  high  privilege.   Let  them,  with  thanksgiving 
to  God,  and  with  overflowing  joy,  look  forward, 
to  the  bright  scenes  of  future  bliss ;  and,  through 
the  influence  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  the  Comforter, 
contemplate  them  as  their  own  inheritance.  One 
view  of  that  glory,  realized  by  faith  and  appro- 
priated by  hope,  will  have  an  inconceivable  in- 
fluence upon  its  possessor.    It  will  arm  him  with 
the  fortitude  of  a  martyr ;  it  will  invigorate  him 


14 


PROPER  EFFECTS  OF 


with  the  strength  of  an  angel,  the  strength  of 
faith  and  love.  It  will  console  him  with  joys  and 
consolations,  such  as  the  blessed  Apostle  felt, 
whom  no  trials  or  sufferings,  of  an  earthly  kind, 
could  move.  It  will  elevate  devotion  by  a  grati- 
tude unspeakably  great,  for  it  will  be  gratitude 
for  the  hope  of  heaven.  It  will  render  all  earthly 
trials  light,  and  all  earthly  enjoyments  vain  ;  for, 
weighed  in  the  scale  with  heaven,  they  will  both 
be  lighter  than  vanity. 

But  the  chief  advantage  of  such  a  joyful  hope 
of  eternal  happiness  is  found  in  the  powerful 
motive  which  it  affords  to  holiness,  and  the 
increased  efficacy  which  it  gives  to  all  the  means 
of  grace.  Filling  the  soul  with  love  to  God  and 
an  ardent  devotion  to  him,  it  purifies  the  heart, 
even  as  God  is  pure,  as  heaven  is  pure,  as  all  the 
joys  of  heaven  are  pure.  Great  also  is  the  en- 
couragement it  imparts  in  resisting  the  world, 
the  flesh,  and  the  devil.  For  with  the  prize  of 
our  high  calling  immediately  in  view,  how  low 
would  the  gratifications  appear  which  these 
tempters  could  offer  to  us  !  Whilst  we  derive  little 
consolation  from  the  service  of  Christ,  and  are 
harassed  by  doubts  and  fears  whether  after  all 
we  shall  succeed  in  our  arduous  spiritual  contest, 
no  wonder  that  our  hands  hang  down  and  our 
knees  are  feeble.  But  when  heaven  is  before  us; 
when  its  glories  already  dawn  upon  us :  when 
the  celestial  gate  is  already  opening  for  our 
admittance,  and  the  mansions  are  prepared  in 
which  we  shall  dwell  for  ever ;  who  would  not 
endure,  who  would  not  suffer,  who  would  not 


THE  HOPE  OF  HEAVEN. 


15 


persevere  with  unshaken  faith  and  immoveable 
constancy  ? 

Let  us,  then,  my  brethren,  press  forward  to  the 
mark  for  the  prize  of  our  high  calling  of  God  in 
Christ  Jesus.  Let  us  seek  for  a  hope  full  of  im- 
mortality. Let  us  be  looking  for  and  hasting 
unto  the  coming  of  the  day  of  God. 


16 


SERMON  II. 

GODLINESS  PROFITABLE  TO  ALL  THINGS. 
1  TIM.  iv.  8. 

Godliness  is  profitable  unto  all  things,  having  pro- 
mise of  the  life  that  noxv  is,  and  of  that  which  is  to 
come. 

Whatever  advantage  may  have  been  al- 
lowed to  godliness  with  respect  to  the  world  to 
come,  it  has  been  but  too  frequently  considered 
as  not  only  useless,  but  sometimes  even  hurtful, 
with  respect  to  the  present  life.  A  strict  regard 
to  prayer  and  other  devotional  duties  has  been 
thought  to  unfit  men  for  the  business  of  the 
world  ;  to  throw  a  shade  over  the  enjoyments  of 
life  ;  and  to  render  it  tedious  to  themselves  and 
gloomy  to  others.  This  is  a  serious  charge,  con- 
fidently brought  by  the  dissipated  and  the  pro- 
fane, and  too  hastily  believed  by  the  young  and 
the  thoughtless. 

Without,  however,  entering  into  a  very  minute 
consideration  of  the  nature  of  religion,  and  the 
improbability  of  its  producing  these  bad  effects, 
it  might  be  justly  concluded,  at  once,  that  this 
charge  must  be  unfounded.  For  is  it  probable, 
is  it  possible,  that  a  sincere  desire  to  serve  our 
Creator  with  the  faculties  he  has  given,  in  the 


GODLINESS  PROFITABLE  TO  ALL  THINGS.  17 


station  in  which  he  has  placed  us  in  the  world 
which  he  superintends,  should  only  serve  to 
produce  unhappiness,  and  to  disturb  and  con- 
found the  business  and  enjoyments  of  life  ? 

Two  mistakes  have  concurred  to  produce  this 
injurious  prejudice  against  religion  ;  one  respect- 
ing the  nature  of  godliness,  the  other  respecting 
the  proper  business  of  life. 

1.  It  has  been  assumed,  that  godliness  consists 
in  prayer  and  devotion  only ;  but  this  is  an  erro- 
neous and  partial  view  of  its  nature.  Godliness, 
indeed,  does  consist  partly  in  devotion ;  but, 
then,  devotion  is  to  be  considered  not  as  godli- 
ness itself,  but  as  a  means  of  acquiring  it : — it  is 
the  acknowledgment  of  the  need  we  have  of  it ; 
the  serious  review  and  ponfession  of  our  neglect 
of  it ;  the  solemn  determination  of  the  mind  to 
be  more  stedfast  and  immoveable  in  the  pursuit 
and  practice  of  it.  Even  the  more  speculative 
parts  of  religion  ;  the  truths  which  it  develops, 
and  the  motives  which  it  prescribes,  are  intended 
to  have  a  direct  and  powerful  eifect  upon  prac- 
tice :  The  grace  of  God  hath  appeared  unto 
all  men,  teaching  us  that,  denying  ungodliness 
and  worldly  lusts,  we  should  live  soberly,  righte- 
ously, and  godly  in  this  present  world." 

2.  A  mistake  has  also  prevailed  with  respect 
to  the  proper  business  of  man  in  this  world. — If, 
indeed,  it  be  considered  as  our  proper  business 
here  to  pursue,  vi^ith  insatiable  eagerness,  the 
honours  or  the  riches  of  the  world,  to  despise  a 
low  situation,  to  grasp  at  all  the  advantages  which 
are  thrown  in  our  way,  without,  perhaps,  any 
scrupulous  attention  to  the  lawfulness  of  the  end 

VOL.  II.  c 


18     GODLINESS  PROFITABLE  TO  ALL  THINGS. 

in  view,  or  the  purity  of  the  means  employed  to 
attain  it ;  if  the  enjoyments  of  life  are  regarded 
as  consisting  in  the  unrestrained  indulgence  of 
our  appetites,  in  the  gratification  of  a  selfish  and 
sensual  disposition,  in  mirth  and  riot,  in  extrava- 
gance and  debauchery;  if  such  be  the  proper 
business  of  life,  and  such  its  best  enjoyments, 
godliness,  it  must  be  confessed,  unfits  a  man  for 
both.  But  if  the  great  business  of  life  be  to 
discharge,  with  fidelity  and  integrity,  the  various 
duties  of  the  station  in  which  God  has  placed  us, 
to  improve  our  time  and  talents,  to  watch  over 
and  regulate  our  corrupt  affections,  to  prepare 
for  our  future  audit  at  the  bar  of  God ;  in  short, 
to  serve  and  glorify  our  God,  and  to  assist  others 
in  doing  the  same  ;  if  the  proper  pleasures  of  life 
be  such  as  spring  from  a  thankful  enjoyment  of 
God's  mercies,  a  spirit  of  good-will  to  our  fellow- 
creatures,  a  mind  regulated  by  the  precepts  of 
Scripture,  and  a  hope  full  of  immortality ;  then 
godliness  is  profitable  for'  all  things,  having  the 
promise  of  the  life  that  now  is,  as  well  as  of  that 
which  is  to  come. 

It  is,  therefore,  a  great  mistake,  to  suppose  the 
advantages  of  religion  to  be  confined  to  another 
world.  They  equally  aff'ect  the  present  life,  and 
all  its  employments :  they  extend  not  to  indivi- 
duals only,  but  to  societies,  to  nations,  to  persons 
also  of  every  temper  and  disposition,  placed  in 
all  the  diversified  circumstances  and  situations  of 
life.  Godliness  instructs  and  assists,  encourages 
^  and  animates  us,  in  the  great  work  of  reforming 
whatever  is  amiss,  and  altering  whatever  tends 
to  the  general   unhappiness  of  mankind.'  Its 


GODLINESS  PROFITABLE  TO  ALL  THINGS.  19 


teildency  is  to  make  this  life  not  merely  a  prepa- 
ration for  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  but  a  resem- 
blance and  portrait  of  it. 

This  will  more  evidently  appear  if  we  carefully 
consider  the  benefits  of  godliness,  both  to  the  per- 
son who  practises  it  and  to  society  at  large. 

I.  Godliness,  then,  is  profitable  to  the  person 
who  practises  it,  from  the  eff'ects  which  it  pro- 
duces on  his  own  mind.  These  eff'ects  are  of  two 
kinds  :  the  regulation  of  the  passiom'y  and  the  pro- 
duction of  inward  peace;  and  that  in  all  states  and 
circumstances  of  life, 

1.  Godliness  regulates  the  passions, — I  need 
not  observe,  that  it  is  the  tendency  of  the  passions 
to  deceive,  enslave,  and  hurry  into  misery  and 
ruin  those  who,  neglecting  the  Gospel,  neglect 
the  remedy  which  God  has  assigned  against  their 
too-powerful  influence.  Lust,  vanity,  envy,  anger, 
impatience,  pride,  and  .avarice,  like  wayward 
children,  torment  the  breast  which  nourishes 
them.  How  vast  a  multitude  have  been  sacri- 
ficed, ere  they  have  lived  out  half  their  days,  to 
excessive  drinking !  How  many,  from  the  love 
of  luxury  and  dissipation,  plunge  themselves 
into  poverty,  debt,  and  imprisonment  !  Not  a 
few,  urged  by  avarice,  and  lured  by  the  hope  of 
gaining  at  once  a  large  fortune,  ruin  themselves, 
their  families,  and  perhaps  many  other  innocent 
and  worthy  persons,  who  had  been  induced  to 
confide  in  their  integrity.  How  many,  from  the 
peevishness,  impatience,  or  impetuosity  of  their 
tempers,  are  perpetually  disquieted  themselves, 
and  disquieting  all  around  them ! 


20    GODLINESS  PROFITABLE  TO  ALL  THINGS. 

Such  are  a  few  of  the  effects  of  the  tyranny  of 
ungoverned  passions.  Indeed,  the  world  is  full 
of  misery  through  their  influence.  Now,  it  is  the 
end  of  godliness  to  prescribe  bounds  to  their  ope- 
rations, to  counteract  their  evil  tendency,  and  to 
resist  their  impetuosity.  The  man  who  is  truly 
godly  watches  against  their  first  movements,  ere 
yet  they  have  conceived  and  brought  forth  sin. 
He  is  afraid  of  those  earthly  indulgences  which 
minister  fuel  to  their  unholy  fires  :  he  is  taught  by 
the  Gospel  of  his  Saviour  to  deny  himself,  and  to 
be  engaged  in  mortifying  the  corrupt  affections 
of  the  flesh,  as  well  as  in  resisting  the  devil.  And 
thus,  while  in  others  the  lust  of  the  flesh,  and  the 
lust  of  the  eye,  and  the  pride  of  life,  are  gratified, 
and  by  gratification  cherished  and  strengthened, 
the  truly  godly  person  is  employed  in  crucifying 
them :  he  sets  not  his  affections  upon  the  things 
of  the  earth,  but  on  the  things  above.  He  esteems 
himself  dead  to  the  world,  and  his  life  is  hid  with 
Christ  in  God. 

2.  Neither  does  godliness  produce  tranquillity 
of  mind,  merely  by  bridling  the  impetuosity  of 
the  passions ;  but  it  also  directly  communicates 
peace  of  soul,  by  means  of  the  views  which  it 
imparts,  and  the  hopes  which  it  inspires  :  and 
this  inward  spiritual  peace  diffuses  a  serenity 
over  the  mind  und^r  every  change  of  temporal 
circumstances,  inclining  the  godly  person  to 
recognise  and  adore  the  goodness  of  God,  even 
in  the  midst  of  tribulation  and  distress. — Who 
ever  engaged  in  earnest  prayer  to  God,  without 
finding  that  he  came  from  his  closet  disposed 
to  bear  affliction  more  patiently,  and  to  rejoice 


GODLINESS  PROFITABLE  TO  ALL  THINGS.  21 

in  his  temporal  mercies  with  a  more  pure  and 
solid  satisfaction? 

But  here  it  must  be  observed,  that  this  exemp- 
tion from  the  dominion  of  turbulent  passions,  and 
this  peace  and  serenity  of  mind,  are  confined 
principally  to  those  who  are  really  in  earnest 
about  religion.  Let  not  such  as  are  contented 
with  a  superficial  knowledge,  and  still  more 
superficial  practice,  of  the  duties  of  godliness, 
imagine  that  they  shall  possess  these  high  pri- 
vileges. A  slight  degree  of  religious  progress 
serves  often  only  to  irritate  the  passions ;  to 
awaken  apprehensions ;  to  produce  anxiety  and 
terror  ;  and  to  fill  the  mind  with  a  fretfulness 
and  gloom,  which  extend  their  influence  to  all 
the  circumstances  of  the  temporal  condition. 
The  high  and  ennobling  principles  of  the  Gospel 
must  be  wrought  into  the  very  frame  and  texture 
of  the  soul,  by  much  reflection  and  constant 
prayer ;  the  hope  of  glory  must  be  realized  to 
the  mind,  by  frequent  and  deep  meditation ;  and 
the  power  of  the  Redeemer,  in  his  various  offices, 
be  habitually  acknowledged  and  felt,  before  true 
peace,  the  peace  of  God,  is  shed  abroad  in  the 
heart. 

3.  Godliness  is  further  profitable  in  all  the 
various  tempers  and  states  of  mind  to  which  human 
nature  is  liable:  for  the  religion  of  Christ  by 
which  the  godly  person  is  influenced,  applies 
itself  with  wonderful  ease  and  readiness,  as  an 
universal  remedy,  to  all  the  diseases  of  the  soul. 
— Is  any  one  hurried  away  by  a  fickleness  and 
levity  of  temper,  which  prevents  application; 
let  him  embrace,  by  faith,  the  truths  of  the 


22    GODLINESS  PROFITABLE  TO  ALL  THINGS. 

Gospel ;  those  truths  which  present  to  his  view 
the  awful  realities  of  the  invisible  world,  the 
shortness  of  time,  the  nearness  of  eternity,  the 
strictness  of  the  day  of  judgment,  and  the  worth 
of  the  soul.  These  subjects  are  calculated  to 
make  the  most  giddy  sober,  and  the  most  dis- 
sipated serious ;  to  correct  the  faulty  dispositions 
of  the  mind,  and  to  enable  it  to  apply  with 
vigour  to  the  various  duties  of  life.  Is  any  one, 
on  the  other  hand,  a  prey  to  melancholy  thoughts, 
which  throw  a  gloom  over  every  earthly  prospect 
of  felicity  ?  Would  to  God  that  he  knew  those 
glad  tidings  of  great  joy,  which  are  represented 
in  Scripture  as  making  the  dumb  to  sing,  and 
the  lame  man  to  leap  as  an  hart!  Oh  that  he 
understood  what  treasures  of  mercy  are  laid 
up  by  God  for  the  penitent !  what  blessings  are 
communicated  to  those  who  put  their  trust  in 
God! "Does  any  one  labour  under  a  covetous 
temper ;  under  a  heart  hardened  against  the 
wants  of  his  fellow-creatures  ?  What  is  likely 
to  soften  him  into  liberality  and  compassion,  if 
the  free  forgiveness  and  boundless  grace  of  Christ 
Jesus  do  not  produce  this  effect  ?  Or  would 
you  reclaim  the  prodigal,  whom  the  impending 
ruin  of  his  family  is  unable  to  move?  Behold 
how  godliness  is  profitable  to  this  end  also ; 
for  it  will  bring  back  the  prodigal,  crying,  "  Fa- 
ther, I  have  sinned  against  Heaven,  and  before 
thee?"  True  godliness  will  humble  the  proud, 
and  make  the  timid  bold  :  it  can  correct  all  the 
weakness  of  human  nature,  and  supply  all  its 
wants.  And  as  the  Son  of  God,  when  upon 
earth,  healed  the  sick,  cast  out  devils,  gave 


GODLINESS  P  ROFITABLE  TO  ALL  THINGS.  23 


sight  to  the  blind,  caused  the  deaf  to  hear, 
and  the  dumb  to  speak  ;  so  that  there  was  not 
one  disorder  which  baffled  the  power  of  his  word ; 
so  his  Gospel,  the  knowledge  of  which  is  the 
very  foundation  of  godliness,  is  able  to  heal  all 
the  diseases  under  which  the  soul  of  man  can 
labour. 

4.  Godliness  is,  in  the  last  place,  profitable  in 
all  the  varying  circumstances  of  life  in  which  we 
can  be  placed. — It  is  the  ornament  of  j/ow/^  ;  a 
crown  of  glory  to  the  hoary  head.  It  will  preserve 
the  rich  from  being  elated  by  their  wealth ;  or 
putting  their  trust  in  uncertain  riches;  the  poor 
from  being  discontented  or  repining  at  their  state, 
by  making  them  rich  in  faith  and  heirs  of  the 
kingdom  of  God.  In  times  of  public  calamity, 
and  in  scenes  of  private  suffering,  he  that  has 
made  God  his  refuge  will  find  a  more  secure 
abode.  Changes  and  afflictions  various  and  fre- 
quent, and  as  melancholy  as  they  are  unavoidable, 
are  incident  to  us  all.  And  how  bitterly  are 
they  felt,  when  we  are  deprived  of  the  conso- 
lations which  true  godliness  holds  out  to  us  ! 
How  hard  is  it  to  bear  the  loss  of  property; 
to  have  our  hopes  of  a  comfortable  subsistence 
for  ourselves  and  our  families  at  once  cut  off, 
perhaps  through  no  fault  or  defect  of  prudence 
on  our  part ;  and  to  be  left  a  prey  to  melancholy 
fears  of  want,  after  the  labour  of  a  whole  life 
has  been  spent,  and  supposed  to  be  successfully 
spent,  in  acquiring  a  decent  provision  1  How 
painful  to  be  bereaved  of  those  in  whom  our 
life  was  bound  up  ;  a  dear  wife,  or  an  affectionate 
husband,  or  a  dutiful  child,  the  very  stay  and 


24    GODLINESS  PROFITABLE  TO  ALL  THINGS. 

support  of  our  lives  !  How  painful  to  meet  with 
unkindness  in  others,  perhaps  in  those  whom  we 
have  greatly  served ;  and  to  see  ourselves,  as 
we  are  growing  older,  less  and  less  valued,  and 
losing  by  degrees  one  and  another  of  the  com- 
forts of  our  life  !  How  painful  to  feel  ourselves 
subject  to  some  fatal  distemper  which  we  know 

'  that  medicine  cannot  relieve  ;  which  holds  us 
as  prisoners  in  our  houses  ;  which  destroys  our 
activity,  consumes  our  vigour,  drinks  up  our 
spirits,  and  leaves  us  melancholy  and  dejected  ; 
dead  even  while  we  live  in  the  world  !  How 
painful  to  feel  ourselves  likely  soon  to  be  called 
away  from  a  family  that  depends  upon  us  for 
support,  with  the  distressing  reflection — worse 

•  than  death  to  a  parent's  feelings— of  leaving  them 
destitute,  dependent  upon  the  bounty  of  strangers, 
and  exposed  to  all  the  miseries  of  want !  These 
are  evils  bitterly  felt  by  thousands  and  tens  of 
thousands  in  the  world ;  and,  could  we  open  the 
book  of  futurity,  which  of  us  here  present  might 
not  see  that  some  of  those  evils  await  us  ? — Now, 
is  not  godliness  profitable  for  this  life,  if  it  will 
help  us  through  all  these  afflictions  ?  Can  its 
value  be  described,  if  it  will  enable  us  to  bear 
such  calamities  as  these  with  patience  ?  Nothing 
but  godliness,  it  is  evident,  can  do  this.  All 
things  beside  do  not  even  promise  a  resource. 
Wealth  itself  becomes  disgustful  under  many  of 
these  circumstances  :  the  heart  turns  with  aver- 
sion even  from  the  most  favourite  pursuits.  But 
let  godliness,  in  its  sovereign  power,  be  felt,  and 
mark  the  effect  which  it  will  produce.  It  will 
instil  into  our  minds  patience  and  submission :  it 


GODLINESS  PROFITABLE  TO  ALL  THINGS.  25 


will  lighten  our  burden,  or  communicate  strength 
to  support  us  under  it.  It  will  teach  us  to  look 
at  joys  which  never  fade,  at  a  portion  which 
shall  never  be  taken  from  us,  to  an  Almighty 
God,  and  to  a  wise  and  gracious  Father.  Faith 
will  inspire  us  with  fortitude  and  hope;  will  cheer 
us  with  the  prospect  of  a  better  world  to  come, 
where  every  tear  shall  be  wiped  from  our  eyes, 
and  where  all  things  shall  be  made  new. 

There  is  still  one  more  trying  scene  through 
which  all  must  pass,  and  in  which  the  excellence 
of  godliness  is  eminently  conspicuous.  When 
you  come  to  a  dying  bed,  supposing  you  to  have 
lived  without  godliness,  and  there  seriously 
reflect  upon  all  you  have  heard  of  the  righteous 
judgments  of  God  against  sin;  when  in  these 
circumstances  you  look  into  the  invisible  world 
and  consider  what  might  have  been  gained  in  it, 
and  what  may  now  be  dreaded ;  how  awful  the 
loss  of  the  soul,  and  how  intolerable  the  ruin 
which  is  to  last  for  ever ;  melancholy  indeed 
must  your  reflection  be  !  Keenly  will  you  then 
feel  that  godliness  might  have  been  not  only 
the  repose  of  a  dying  bed,  but  its  consolation 
and  joy :  for  it  is  equally  profitable  at  the  ex- 
tremity of  our  lives  here,  as  at  our  entrance 
upon  the  life  to  come. 

II.  Hitherto  we  have  only  considered  godliness 
as  profitable  to  the  individual  who  practises  it, 
and  noticed  the  peace  which  it  secures  to  him  in 
the  various  circumstances  of  life;  but  godliness  is 
profitable  also  in  a  much  wider  extent.  All  who 
dwell  near  a  truly  righteous  person  will  be  par- 


26    GODLINESS  PROFITABLE  TO  ALL  THINGS. 

takers  of  the  benefits  and  blessings  derived  from 
real  religion. — The  children  of  a  godly  parent 
will  have  their  minds  stored  with  useful  instruc- 
tions, will  be  guarded  against  the  influence  of 
evil  passions,  will  be  treated  with  tender  atten- 
tion, be  saved  from  many  a  hurtful  lust,  and  many 
a  pang  of  remorse,  and  reap  an  abundant  harvest 
of  prayers.  Children  that  are  pious  will  bear 
with  patience  the  infirmities  of  the  aged,  and  will 
be  dutiful  and  affectionate :  for  piety  will  remind 
them  of  obligations  which  human  nature  is  too 
apt  to  forget ;  and  strengthen  the  bond  of  natural 
affection  by  the  ties  of  duty  and  gratitude. — 
Servants  and  masters  who  truly  fear  God,  and  are 
carefully  endeavouring  to  please  him,  will  live  in 
peace  and  mutual  confidence.  Angry  passions 
will  not  disturb  the  quiet  of  the  dwelling,  nor  will 
discontent  embitter  domestic  enjoyment.  How 
tranquil,  how  blessed,  the  family  where  every 
member  of  it,  possessing  peace  in  his  own  soul, 
through  the  knowledge  of  God,  meets  the  rest  to 
minister  to  their  comfort,  and  increase  their  in- 
ward happiness  by  acts  of  cheerful  attention, 
kindness,  and  love  ;  where  no  jarring  string 
interrupts  the  harmony  of  the  whole,  no  evil 
passion  disturbs  the  tranquillity  of  the  rest ! 

But,  alas  !  where  are  such  scenes  to  be  found  ? 
Too,  too  rarely,  I  allow.  Godliness  flourishes  not 
in  this  our  polluted  earth :  it  is  like  a  plant  in  an 
unfavourable  soil,  where  its  growth  is  stinted  and 
its  beauty  injured.  But  we  see  the  tendency  of 
religion  to  produce  happiness  in  the  earth ;  and 
wherever  it  is  cordially  embraced  and  seriously 
cultivated,  there,  in  a  proportional  measure,  is 


GODLINESS  PROFITABLE  TO  ALL  THINGS.  27 

this  tendency  manifested.  Let  the  precepts  of 
the  Gospel  be  assumed  to  have  their  full  in- 
fluence:— let  us  suppose,  for  example,  a  family 

loving  without  dissimulation,  kindly  affec- 
tionate one  to  another  with  brotherly  love,  in 
honour  preferring  one  another,  not  slothful  in 
business,  fervent  in  spirit,  serving  the  Lord ; 
minding  not  high  things,  but  condescending  to 
men  of  low  estate,  recompensing  to  no  man  evil 
for  evil,  providing  things  honourable  in  the  sight 
of  all  men  and  surely  such  a  family  would  be 
a  blessing  to  the  whole  neighbourhood. 

Enlarge  this  view,  and  suppose  (what  is,  alas! 
but  too  unlikely  soon  to  happen)  the  whole 
world  partaking  of  the  same  spirit,  and  how 
profitable  would  godliness  appear  for  all  things, 
even  in  the  present  life  1  There  would  be  no 
jealousy  between  subjects  and  their  governors, 
no  party  spirit  of  animosity,  no  more  war  and 
bloodshed.  The  sword  would  be  beat  into  the 
plough-share,  and  the  spear  into  the  pruning- 
hook.  Every  man  you  met  would  be  a  brother. 
No  scenes  of  cruelty  would  shock  the  eye ; 
no  cry  of  oppression  would  wound  the  ear. 
Tyranny  and  slavery  would  be  only  •  remem- 
bered with  a  sigh  that  human  nature  should 
once  have  suffered  them.  The  voice  of  joy 
and  praise  would  be  heard  in  every  cottage, 
and  the  sufferings  which  still  remained  in  the 
earth  would  be  alleviated  by  the  affectionate 
tenderness  of  every  neighbour  and  every  stranger; 
for  every  Granger  would  be  a  friend.  The  wolf 
would  indeed  dwell  with  the  lamb,  and  the 
leopard  lie  down  with  the  kid. 


28     GODLINESS  PROFITABLE  TO  ALL  THINGS. 

But,  alas!  how  different  is  the  scene  which  now 
presents  itself!  The  eye  must  yet  be  pained  to 
behold  the  tumults  and  distractions  of  nations  ; 
the  ear  to  hear  the  lamentations  of  misery,  and 
the  groans  of  despair.  Armies  yet  meet  together 
with  savage  ferocity,  and  spread  around  them 
desolation  and  carnage.  While  we  contemplate 
such  scenes,  let  us  read  in  them  the  inscription 
of  Heaven,  drawn  indeed  in  bloody,  but  legible, 
characters  ;  Godliness  is  profitable  for  all 
things,  having  the  promise  of  the  life  that  now  is, 
as  well  as  of  that  which  is  to  come." 

All  misery  and  evil  came  into  the  world  by 
sin ;  and  in  proportion  to  its  increase,  in  that 
proportion  do  they  increase  also.  The  real  evils 
which  God  inflicts  are  comparatively  few  in 
number,  and,  with  them  all,  he  mingles  some- 
thing which  may  alleviate  them  or  compen- 
sate their  pleasure.  But  the  evils  we  bring 
upon  ourselves,  or  which  our  fellow- creatures 
bring  upon  us  through  their  vices,  are  many 
and  complicated.  There  is,  however,  one  remedy 
of  sovereign  efficacy,  which  God,  in  his  pity,  has 
given  us  against  evil  of  every  kind  :  Godliness 
is  profitable  for  all  things''  In  proportion  as 
godliness  is  practised,  evil  will  be  less  abundant 
and  less  keenly  felt ;  and  blessings  will  spring  up 
and  multiply  upon  us.  Let  us  see,  therefore,  that 
we  are  seeking  after  godliness  with  that  earnest- 
ness which  becomes  its  importance  to  ourselves 
and  to  mankind. 

But  it  must  be  remembered,  that  godliness  is 
not  a  cold  assent  to  the  truths  of  religion ;  it  is 
not  a  natural  softness  and  benevolence  of  temper; 


GODLINESS  PROFITABLE  TO  ALL  THINGS.  29 


it  is  not  the  abstaining  from  gross  sins,  or  the 
giving  to  God  a  part  of  our  hearts  and  some  va- 
cant portions  of  our  time,  while  the  bulk  of  both 
is  alienated  from  him,  that  will  entitle  us  to  the 
benefits  which  follow  godliness.    No:  godliness 
is  the  entire  subjection  and  devotedness  of  the 
soul  to  God  himself.    It  is  the  practical  acknow- 
ledgment of  his  unlimited  sovereignty,  and  the 
unreserved  dedication  of  our  whole  selves  to  his 
service.    To  speak  in  the  emphatical  language  of 
the  Apostle,  it  is  Christ  formed  in  the  heart  by 
the  powerful  energy  of  the  Holy  Spirit ;  in  con- 
sequence of  which  the  person  becomes  a  new 
creature,  both  with  regard  to  his  temper  and 
practice :  he  partakes  of  a  Divine  nature,  and 
those  members  which  were  formerly  the  servants 
of  sin  are  now  employed  as  instruments  of  righte- 
ousness unto  God.    This  is  real  godliness :  this 
is  what  is  profitable  unto  all  things,  having  the 
promise  of  the  life  that  now  is,  as  well  as  of  that 
which  is  to  come.    The  form  of  godliness,  too 
often  and  too  fatally  mistaken  for  it,  brings  no  just 
peace  to  the  mind ;  does  not  implant  there  the 
love  of  God  ;  does  not  correct  the  faulty  disposi- 
tions of  the  heart ;  is  of  no  service  in  the  dis- 
tressing scenes  of  life ;  and  is  attended  with  no 
good  to  society.    From  this  shadow  of  godliness 
the  opinions  of  the  world  have  been  too  generally 
taken  respecting  its  substance,  and  its  effects 
estimated  :  and  hence  it  has  appeared  to  be  so 
barren  of  good,  and  so  useless  to  mankind,  neither 
promoting  their  peace  nor  their  virtue.    Let  us, 
f     therefore,  seek  for  something  more  substantial. 
Under  the  deep  impression  of  the  corruption  of  our 
nature,  let  us  breathe  after  the  sanctifying  influ- 


30    GODLINESS  PROFITABLE  TO  ALL  THINGS. 

ences  of  the  Spirit  of  God  ;  and  pray  earnestly 
to  obtain  the  mind  which  was  in  Christ.  Let  us 
remember  that  the  kingdom  of  God  consists  in 
righteousness,  peace,  and  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost; 
and  that  he  that  serveth  Christ  in  these  things  is 
acceptable  to  God  and  approved  of  men. 

I  speak,  I  am  persuaded,  to  many  in  this  place, 
who  highly  honour  and  earnestly  desire  that  god- 
liness which  produces  such  beneficial  and  blessed 
effects.    Let  them,  then,  take  heed  that  they 
possess  right  views  of  its  nature,  and  seek  for  it 
in  a  proper  manner.  True  godliness  is  the  gift  of 
God.    It  is  a  seed  implanted  in  the  heart  by  his 
Holy  Spirit,  and  watered  by  the  dew  of  his 
heavenly  grace.    It  is  not  the  produce  of  merely 
human  resolution,  the  fruit  of  a  corrupt  nature. 
It  is  absolutely  necessary,  therefore,  that  it  should 
be  sought  from  God  by  fervent  prayer,  cherished 
by  the  study  of  his  word,  and  cultivated  by  con- 
stant communion  with  him.    It  is  utterly  impos- 
sible that  we  can  be  truly  godly,  unless  our  hearts 
are  right  with  God,  unless  we  are  deeply  con- 
vinced of  the  supreme  excellence  of  his  nature, 
the  amiableness  of  his  character,  the  reasonable- 
ness of  his  commands,  and  the  infinite  superiority 
of  his  service  above  that  of  the  world.  The 
foundation  of  godliness  is  deeply  laid  in  the  just 
views  of  the  soundest  reason.    It  is  not  the  im- 
pulse of  caprice,  the  dictate  of  fear,  or  the  effect 
of  the  love  of  change ;  but  a  deliberate  conviction 
of  the  judgment,  founded  upon  the  most  weighty 
considerations,  and  confirmed  by  the  most  une- 
quivocal experience,  that  only  in  proportion  as 
we  know  God  aright  and  are  conformed  to  his 
image  can  we  be  truly  blessed.    And  it  is  inti- 


GODLINESS  PROFITABLE  TO  ALL  THINGS.  31 


mately  connected  with  the  knowledge  and  love 
of  Jesus  Christ,  the  only  begotten  Son  of  God, 
our  Saviour,  in  whom  we  may  truly  be  said  to 
have  our  spiritual  life,  in  whose  death  we  trust 
as  our  atonement  for  sin,  on  whose  resurrection 
we  found  our  hopes  of  eternal  life,  on  whose  in- 
tercession we  rely  for  the  acceptance  of  our 
prayers  and  unworthy  services. 

This  is  the  principle  of  godliness :  and  when 
such  a  principle  is  implanted  in  the  mind,  though 
its  full  operation  may  be  prevented  by  those 
innumerable  temptations  which  assault  us  from 
within  and  without,  from  the  world,  the  flesh, 
and  the  devil,  yet  it  will  influence  the  soul  to 
obey  and  serve  God  with  earnestness  and  con- 
stancy. There  will  be  an  increasing  wish  and 
desire  to  please  him,  greater  readiness  to  make 
the  sacrifices  he  requires,  and  greater  faithfulness 
in  acting  up  to  the  light  we  have  received. 
Every  thing  else  will  yield  to  this  prevailing  de- 
sire of  our  hearts.  We  shall  not  attempt  to  serve 
two  masters,  but  give  ourselves  up  wholly  to 
God.  The  soul  cannot,  indeed,  be  wholly  turned 
from  darkness  to  light,  from  sin  to  holiness,  at 
once.  It  is  a  change  which  begins  here,  and  is 
carried  on  through  the  whole  duration  of  life,  but 
which  is  not  perfected  till  we  arrive  at  the  king- 
dom of  heaven  above.  The  path  of  the  just  is 
like  the  shining  light,  which  shineth  more  and 
more  unto  the  perfect  day  ; "  and  the  small  mea- 
sure of  knowledge  and  grace  to  which  we  attain 
on  earth,  will  be  a  seed  springing  up  unto  im- 
mortal life,  in  the  everlasting  glory  of  which  it 
will  assuredly  terminate.  Amen. 


32 


SERMON  nL 

mm.  WMM.TKX,  WBEK£IX  IT  COSStJTS. 


COLOSS.  1.  li. 

Gim^  titmks  ott  fie  Atkr.  vduA  talk  mm^ 


We  hare  £  Teiy  low  and  imperfect  idea  of  die 
mure  of  Chiisdajutr,  if  we  coD^der  it  only  as  it 
stands  coonected  widi  diis  liie,  and  our  hapfwoess 
am.  eaiA.  DcMoibtk^  it  ministers  to  our  peace  and 
km;  it  legnlates  our  foimMmtik,  and  di- 
to  difeckjLige  tke  dvties  cf  oar  aevcnl 
'vrtk  fidcfity  and  diligeiioe;  Imt  fke  ot 
•39ed«  tkoa^  it  macf  not  be  so  Inllf 
Tcxy  sckne  of  phikwwiphy  and 


TtMk^ie^  been  tai^jkt  m  tbe  worid. 

w  to  bat  nobkr  and  nMMe 

aswdiasBanship- 
duBt,  as  wen  an 
oadkss  1^  of 
-  of  ann'sex- 
bned,  tbe 
God  appointed,  and 


^tnld  weie  laid 


WHEREIN  IT  CONSISTS. 


The  ultimate  end  was  to  bring  them  to  heaven ; 
the  means,  the  incarnation  of  the  Son  of  God, 
and  the  sanctifying  power  of  his  Spirit ;  the  sub- 
ordinate end,  the  preparation  of  a  corrupt  race 
for  that  state  of  glory  which  they  who  were 
made  meet  for  it  should  inherit. 

The  consideration  of  such  an  end  in  view, 
goes  far  to  explain  the  reasons  why  such  means 
are  used,  and  why  the  purity  and  holiness  re- 
quired are  so  very  great.  Imagine  the  chief 
object  of  the  Gospel  to  be  that  of  regulating 
our  unruly  passions,  so  that  we  may  pass  our 
lives  in  ease  and  comfort  here  ;  and  there  ap- 
pears but  little  reason  why  the  Son  of  God 
should  be  our  Redeemer,  or  why  we  should 
need  the  teaching  and  sanctification  of  his  Spirit. 
The  light  and  strength  of  reason  might  accom- 
plish this  end  :  or,  at  least,  a  much  smaller  por- 
tion of  virtue  than  Christianity  requires  would 
be  sufficient  to  attain  it.  There  would  be  no  oc- 
casion for  that  high  degree  of  self-denial,  that 
mortification  of  sin,  that  deadness  to  the  world, 
that  knowledge  of  God  and  his  attributes,  and 
those  holy  affections  which  it  enjoins.  A  Deist 
might  be  a  good  neighbour,  a  useful  citizen,  a 
tender  father,  and  a  kind  friend. — But  take  into 
consideration  a  future  state,  the  nature  of  heaven, 
the  glory  of  God  and  of  Christ ;  and  we  see  that 
a  real  Christian  only  is  fitted  for  the  inheritance 
of  the  saints  in  light.  He  alone  possesses  those 
dispositions,  those  sentiments  of  devotion,  those 
holy  affections,  which  are  the  proper  qualifica- 
tions for  such  a  state.    The  morality  of  a  Deist 

VOL.  II.  D 


34  MEETNESS  FOR  HEAVEN, 

would  be  sufficient,  were  his  soul  as  mortal  as 
his  body ;  but  when  we  consider  man  as  an 
immortal  spirit,  training  up  for  happiness  in 
heaven,  we  see  the  absolute  need  of  the  Gospel 
to  prepare  him  for  it. 

Christianity,  then,  is  intended  to  make  us 
meet  for  heaven.  By  nature  we  are  unfit  for 
that  blessed  place  :  our  desires  and  pleasures, 
our  habits  of  acting  and  modes  of  thinking,  the 
motives  and  principles  by  which  our  conduct 
is  framed,  are  all  unsuitable.  We  could  con- 
tribute nothing  to  the  bliss  of  its  inhabitants, 
nor  could  they  minister  to  ours.  The  very 
enjoyments  of  the  place  would  be  no  enjoyments 
to  us.  But  by  the  influence  of  the  Gospel, 
where  it  strikes  root  in  the  heart,  a  new  and 
Divine  life  is  begun :  in  which  may  be  perceived 
the  rudiments  of  heavenly  virtue,  the  seeds  of 
infinite  happiness,  and  the  elements  of  eternal 
glory.  There  may  be  traced  in  it  the  same 
principles  which  operate  in  the  glorified  spirits 
themselves;  the  same  end  in  view, — the  glory 
of  God  ;  the  same  renunciation  of  our  own  will ; 
the  same  agency  producing  peace  and  holiness, 
namely,  the  Holy  Spirit ;  the  same  sentiments 
of  gratitude,  and  songs  of  praise,  and  objects 
of  adoration ;  the  same  harmony  and  love,  the 
sources  of  refined  and  sacred  pleasure.  The 
difference  in  all  these  respects  lies  rather  in 
the  degree  of  strength,  and  purity,  and  com- 
pleteness, than  in  the  kind.  Every  thing  below 
is  weak,  is  imperfect,  is  defiled;  but,  as  far 
as  there  is  the  spirit  of  true  Christianity  at 


WHEREIN  IT  CONSISTS. 


35 


all,  it  is  of  the  same  nature,  has  the  same  end, 
is  produced  by  the  same  Agent,  as  the  blessed- 
ness of  heaven. 

Consider  Christianity  in  this  light,  and  we  • 
shall  see  why  it  should  require  from  us  a  much 
higher  degree  of  purity  and  holiness,  and  other 
kinds  of  principles  and  affections,  than  would 
be  necessary  were  its  operations  confined  to 
the  present  world.  The  nature  of  the  education 
which  we  give  to  a  child  is  directed  by  the 
station  of  life  which  he  is  intended  afterwards 
to  fill.  To  the  heir  of  a  great  empire  we  should 
endeavour  to  communicate  not  merely  the  prin- 
ciples of  honesty,  frugality,  and  common  justice, 
but  virtues  of  a  higher  and  nobler  stamp ;  such 
as  munificence,  magnanimity,  and  comprehen- 
sion of  mind.  Now  this  life  is  our  school  for 
heaven ;  and,  under  the  tuition  of  the  Gospel, 
we  are  trained  for  the  exercises  and  enjoyments 
of  heaven.  Hence  a  high  degree  of  purity  and 
strictness  is  demanded  ; — desires  rising  above 
this  sordid  earth,  and  stretching  into  immorta- 
lity ;  holy  affections  and  heavenly  graces,  such 
as  will  be  called  into  exercise  in  that  better  state, 
and  make  us  meet  to  enjoy  it. 

Of  the  nature  of  heaven,  it  is  true,  we  do 
not  know  much.  The  account  given  of  it  in 
the  Sacred  Writings  is  very  short :  and  consists 
chiefly  in  general  descriptions,  suited  to  con- 
vince us  that  it  is  a  happy  and  glorious  place, 
rather  than  to  inform  us  in  what  particulars 
the  happiness  and  glory  of  it  consist :  yet  from 
the  kind  of  happiness  described  ;  from  the  nature 
of  the  employments  of  its  inhabitants,  and  the 

D  2 


36 


MEETNESS  FOR  HEAVEN, 


account  given  of  their  tempers  and  affections, 
we  may  form  some  estimate  of  what  will  con- 
duce to  make  us  meet  for  it :  at  least  we  may, 
in  many  cases,  very  certainly  conclude  what 
would  unfit  us  for  the  enjoyment  of  it. 

We  know,  for  instance,  that  whoever  is  made 
fit  for  heaven,  must  be  made  so  by  a  taste  for 
devotion.  —  One  principal  employment  of  the 
saints  in  light  is  worship.     In  almost  every 
glimpse  afforded  us  of  the  eternal  world,  we 
find  the  angels,  and  spirits  of  just  men  made 
perfect,  bowing  with  adoration  before  the  throne 
of  God.    When  Isaiah  saw  the  Lord  of  Hosts  on 
his  throne,  he  was  surrounded  by  the  seraphim 
worshipping  him,  and  crying,       Holy,  holy, 
holy  is  the  Lord  of  Hosts:  the  whole  earth  is 
full  of  his  glory." — When  St.  John  was  favoured 
with  an  heavenly  vision,  the     living  creatures 
around  the  throne "  (emblematical  representa- 
tives either  of  the  church  or  of  its  ministers) 
"  rested  not  day  and  night,  saying.  Holy,  holy, 
holy  Lord  God  Almighty,  which  was,  and  is, 
and  is  to  come."  And  when  those  living  creatures 
give  **  glory,  and  honour,  and  thanks  unto  Him 
that  sat  on  the  throne,  who  liveth  for  ever  and 
ever,  the  four-and-twenty  elders  fall  down  before 
Him  that  sat  on  the  throne,  and  worship  Him 
that  liveth  for  ever  and  ever,  and  cast  their 
crowns  before  the  throne,   saying.    Thou  art 
worthy,  O  Lord,  to  receive  glory,  and  honour, 
and  power ;  for  thou  hast  created  all  things, 
and  for  thy  pleasure  they  are  and  were  created." 
And  again,  he      beheld  and  heard  the  voice 
of  many  angels  round  about  the  throne,  and 


WHEREIN  IT  CONSISTS. 


37 


the  number  of  them  was  ten  thousand  times 
ten  thousand  and  thousands  of  thousands ;  saying, 
with  a  loud  voice,  Worthy  is  the  Lamb  that  was 
slain  to  receive  power,  and  riches,  and  wisdom, 
and  strength,  and  honour,  and  glory,  and  bless- 
ing. And  every  creature  which  is  in  the  heaven, 
and  on  the  earth,  and  under  the  earth,  and  such 
as  are  in  the  sea,  and  all  that  are  in  them,  heard 
I,  saying.  Blessing,  and  honour,  and  glory,  and 
power,  be  unto  Him  that  sitteth  upon  the  throne, 
and  unto  the  Lamb,  for  ever  and  ever." 

Now  what  meetness  can  he  have  for  such  em- 
ployment who  has  no  taste  for  worship  here  ;  who, 
when  he  comes  to  the  house  of  God,  comes  only 
out  of  form,  with  a  careless  mind  and  wandering 
thoughts,  and  finds  no  delight  in  the  exercise  ? 
What  meetness  would  he  have  for  the  perpetual 
worship  of  heaven,  who  has  been  unaccustomed  to 
all  prayer  in  secret ;  and  who,  if  forced  upon  it  by 
his  fears,  or  by  his  conscience,  does  but  find  the 
more  certainly  how  much  he  dislikes  it ;  who  is 
soon  weary  of  all  such  service,  and  would  esteem 
it  the  greatest  mortification  to  be  compelled  fre- 
quently to  join  in  it?  Would  such  a  person  be 
meet  for  heaven  ?  Would  it  be  agreeable  to  his 
taste  ?  Would  he  think  it  a  place  of  consummate 
felicity,  and  rejoice  that  he  had  now  obtained  the 
completion  of  his  happiness — all  that  an  immor- 
tal spirit  could  desire ;  all  that  God  could  give  ? 
He  has  obtained — what  ?  An  entrance  into  the 
temple  of  true  worship.  He  has  gained — what? 
The  liberty  of  serving  day  and  night  before  God, 
with  high  adoration  and  heart-felt  praise.— Alas, 
how  evident  is  it,  that,  unless  he  has  a  taste  for  such 


38 


MEKTNESS  FOR  HEAVEN, 


exercises,  he  could  find  no  enjoyment  in  heaven, 
even  if  he  were  admitted  there  ! 

But  worship  in  sincerity  and  truth  supposes 
knozv ledge  and  love  of  the  Object  of  adoration, — 
Without  knowledge,  our  worship  would  be  an  ir- 
rational service;  without  love,  it  would  be  tedious 
and  constrained.  In  order,  therefore,  to  make  us 
meet  for  the  inheritance  of  the  saints  in  light,  it 
is  necessary  that  we  should  be  trained  up  in  the 
knowledge  and  love  of  God  the  Father,  and 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  The  angels  and  spirits  of 
just  men  made  perfect  are  represented  as  adoring- 
God  for  his  attributes,  and  Christ  for  his  work  of 
redemption; — subjects  with  which  they  appear  to 
be  well  acquainted,  and  to  contemplate  with  su- 
preme delight.  The  holiness  of  God  is  celebrated, 
in  a  more  especial  manner,  by  them ;  but  this  is 
an  attribute  on  which  he  who  is  not  himself  holy, 
would  choose  least  to  dwell.  And  the  redemption 
of  Christ  is  the  grand  subject  of  praise  for  all  the 
redeemed  :  Worthy  is  the  Lamb  that  was  slain; 
for  he  hath  redeemed  us,  and  hath  made  us  kings 
and  priests  to  God."  But  how  much  would  he  be 
at  a  loss  to  join  in  the  notes  of  heaven,  to  whose 
mind  such  subjects  were  strange;  whose  thoughts 
had  moved  in  another  channel ;  whose  affections 
had  been  fixed  upon  other  things ;  who  had  no 
taste  for  contemplating  the  glory  of  God ;  no  eye 
for  beholding  him  in  his  works  ;  no  delight  in 
meditating  upon  his  attributes !  How  ill  would  he 
be  qualified  to  join  in  the  song  to  the  Lamb,  who 
never  had  considered  the  state  of  man  by  nature, 
and  sought  for  redemption  in  Christ;  who  had 
flattered  himself  with  the  idea  of  his  sufficient 


WHEREIN  IT  CONSISTS. 


39 


virtue,  and  therefore  neither  had  known  any 
need  of  a  Saviour,  nor  felt  any  obligation  to 
him  !  How  ill  would  such  an  one  be  prepared 
to  fall  at  the  feet  of  Jesus,  and  adore  him  with 
rapturous  expressions  of  gratitude,  love,  and 
joy !  No  :  it  is  the  man  who  has  loved,  though 
he  has  not  yet  seen  him ;  who  though  he  has 
seen  him  not,  yet,  believing  in  him,  has  rejoiced 
with  joy  unspeakable  and  full  of  glory  it  is 
he  who  has  been  **  constrained  by  the  love  of 
Christ  ;"  who,  even  upon  earth,  has  sought, 
"  with  all  saints,  to  comprehend  the  length  and 
breadth,  the  depth  and  height"  of  that  love,  and 
has  found  it  to  surpass  his  knowledge  it  is 
he  who  has  made  it  his  chief  study  **to  grow 
in  grace,  and  in  the  knowledge  and  love  of 
his  Lord  and  Saviour;  he  it  is,  who  is  made 
meet  for  the  inheritance  of  the  saints  in  light. 

Let  us  attend,  also,  to  the  society  of  heaven,  to 
those  who  inhabit  that  region  of  happiness. — 

Know  ye  not  that  the  unrighteous  shall  not 
inherit  the  kingdom  of  God  ?  Be  not  deceived  ; 
neither  fornicators,  nor  adulterers,  nor  effemi- 
nate, nor  thieves,  nor  covetous,  nor  drunkards, 
nor  revilers,  nor  extortioners,  shall  inherit  the 
kingdom  of  God."  To  what  company  then, 
O  thou  that  art  unholy,  wouldst  thou  join  thy- 
self if  thou  wert  admitted  into  heaven  ?  Search 
the  whole  extent  thereof  from  one  end  to  the 
other ;  try  every  individual  of  those  countless 
hosts  :  whom  wouldst  thou  discover,  to  listen 
to  the  effusions  of  thy  polluted  mind?  With 
whom  wouldst  thou  concert  plans  of  iniquity? 
To  whom  couldst  thou  make  boast  of  thy  intern- 


40  MEETNESS  FOR  HEAV^EN, 

perance,  or  tell  thy  wanton  tales,  or  detail  the 
exploits  of  thy  licentious  mirth  ?  How  solitary 
to  thee  must  be  that  crowded  place  ?  The 
Prophets  would  turn  indignant  from  thee.  The 
Apostles  would  behold  thee  with  terror.  The 
pure  Angels  and  Archangels,  who  never  knew 
what  sin  was,  would  flee  from  thy  presence  with 
consternation.  Wouldst  thou  accost  those  who 
had  been  thy  companions  in  sin  upon  earth,  but 
who  afterwards  repented  and  were  converted? 
Ah !  what  lively  emotions  would  thy  presence 
excite  in  them,  of  gratitude  to  God  who  had 
pitied  and  redeemed  them  when  in  thy  state, 
and  of  self-reproach  and  humiliation  to  think 
they  were  once  like  thee !  Those  who,  when 
on  earth,  dissolved  the  ties  of  friendship  to  be 
separated  from  thy  company,  would  they  now 
welcome  thy  conversation  ?  Or,  indeed,  couldst 
J  thou  endure  theirs  ?  How  tedious  did  the  time 
appear,  how  dull  and  stupid  the  conversation, 
if  thou  wast  compelled  to  be,  for  a  season, 
with  the  pious  upon  earth!  What  constraint 
didst  thou  not  feel !  What  desire  to  quit  their 
society  !  What  liberty  the  moment  thou  couldst 
rejoin  those  friends  whose  taste  and  conversation 
were  as  carnal  as  thy  own !  And  couldst  thou 
bear  to  dwell  for  ever  with  Apostles  and  Pro- 
phets ;  with  them  whose  every  sentiment  and 
expression  was  pure  and  holy  ;  in  exact  unison 
with  those  pious  writings  which  thou  couldst  not 
read  without  weariness  and  dislike  ? 

But  heaven  is  also  the  rtaidcnce  of  God  ;  there 
his  glory  is  seen,  there  he  calls  his  favoured  ser- 
vants to  the  highest  enjoyment,  in  permitting 


WHEREIN  IT  CONSISTS. 


41 


the  nearest  approaches  to  himself.  In  his  pre- 
sence is  fulness  of  joy,  and  at  his  right  hand  are 
pleasures  for  evermore.  Now  to  make  a  person 
meet  for  the  inheritance  of  the  saints  in  light,  for 
the  presence  of  God,  what  purity  of  heart  must 
necessarily  be  required  !  What  fear,  and  awe, 
and  reverence,  and  gratitude,  and  love!  The 
unholy  shall  not  stand  in  his  sight,  nor  the 
workers  of  iniquity.  How  then  shall  they  be 
meet  for  his  presence  whose  hearts  are  swayed 
by  lust,  pride,  or  vanity,  or  any  other  cor- 
ruption of  our  nature?  How  will  they  stand 
before  him,  to  whom  the  very  thought  of  his 
inspection  was  painful  while  upon  earth  ?  How 
shall  they  find  happiness  with  him,  who  disliked 
to  converse,  or  even  to  think  of  him  ;  and  who 
had  no  conception  of  the  holiness  for  which  he 
is  adored  ?  How  can  they  make  it  their  employ- 
ment to  do  his  will,  who  during  life  have  disre- 
garded it ;  and  preferred  their  own  pleasure  ; 
and  treated  it  with  contempt  when  pressed  upon 
their  notice  ?  How  can  that  holiness  be  now 
their  study  and  delight,  which  hitherto  has  been 
no  object  of  their  desire  or  pleasure ;  nay,  per- 
haps, has  been  their  aversion  and  scorn  ? 

Flatter  not  then  yourselves,  ye  that  are  un- 
sanctified  and  unrenewed,  flatter  not  yourselves 
that  heaven  would  be  a  place  of  enjoyment  and 
happiness  to  you,  even  if  you  were  admitted 
there.  It  would  by  no  means  suit  your  disposi- 
tion ;  and  either  its  nature  must  be  changed  for 
you,  or  you  must  be  changed  for  it.  Its  so- 
ciety you  would  dislike  ;  its  employments  would 
be  burthensome  ;  its  pleasures  painful  to  you. 


42  MEETNESS  FOR  HEAVEN, 

If  there  were  many  such  as  you  there,  confusion 
and  misery  would  reign  as  on  earth,  and  the 
happiness  of  heaven  would  be  destroyed.  If 
few,  there  would  be  dissent  and  separation,  and 
its  harmony  would,  at  least,  be  interrupted. — 
But  you  will  probably  say,      It  is  true,  that 
with  my  present  dispositions  and  inclinations, 
I  should  not  have  a  sufficient  relish  for  the  purity 
of  heaven ;  but  I  consider  that  God  prepares  his 
creatures  for  every  state  in  which  he  places  them : 
in  this  world,  my  faculties  are  suited  to  worldly 
objects ;  and  when  I  am  removed  into  another 
state,  I  trust  that  God  will  prepare  me  for  it, 
by  giving  me  suitable  dispositions."  You  expect, 
then,  that  at  the  time  of  death  some  great 
change  will  take  place,  which  will  fit  you  for 
heaven,  and  give  you  all  those  holy  dispositions 
which  you  are  conscious  you,  now,  neither  pos- 
sess nor  love  ?    But  you  forget  that  heaven  and 
hell  are  states  of  reward  and  punishment;  and 
that,  therefore,  the  righteous  only  can  be  ad- 
mitted into  heaven.   Our  state  of  probation  is 
on  earth  ;  the  time  for  this  change  of  nature  is 
the  present.       Now  is  the  accepted  time,  now 
is  the  day  of  salvation."  Here  is  the  intermixture 
of  the  righteous  and  the  wicked ;  here  men  are 
to  profit  by  good  examples;  here  instruction  is 
given,  the  means  of  grace   provided,  and  a 
Saviour  offered  to  redeem  and  intercede  for 
sinners.    Doubtless,  God  could  make  the  ne- 
cessary changes  even  after  death.    But  is  this 
to  be  expected  ?  Why  should  he  work  a  miracle 
to  effect  that  which  may  be  done  by  the  ordi- 
nary and  appointed  means  of  grace  ?  Why,  when 


WHEREIN  IT  CONSISTS. 


43 


you  have  been  living  by  choice  in  sin,  and,  after 
all  present  advantages,  shall  remain  unfit  for 
heaven,  should  he  destroy,  as  it  were,  your  per- 
sonal identity  (for  such  a  change  would  amount 
to  that)  and  make  you  at  once  a  new  creature, 
annihilate  the  dispositions  and  habits  of  your 
mind,  give  you  higher  powers  and  purer  affec- 
tions, and  transform  you  into  his  own  image  ? 
Is  this  his  usual  course  of  proceeding?  He  changes 
the  heart,  it  is  true  ;  but  it  is  before  the  hour  of 
death.  When  the  soul  quits  this  mortal  taberr 
nacle,  its  state  is  irrecoverably  fixed;  the  man 
remains  the  same,  though  the  scene  of  his  resi- 
dence be  changed.  All  beyond  is  but  a  conti- 
nuation of  former  habits  of  mind,  a  progress 
either  in  holiness  or  in  sin.  The  character  is  then 
determined  for  ever ;  and  things  are  left  to  their 
natural  course.  All  that  now  stops  the  sinner  in 
his  iniquities,  or  that  disturbs  the  righteous  in  his 
advances  toward  perfection— the  restraint  of  law, 
the  checks  of  reproof,  the  benefit  of  example,  on 
one  side ;  and  the  body  of  sin,  the  existence  of 
temptation,  the  society  of  the  wicked,  the  sepa- 
ration from  God  and  good  spirits,  on  the  other 
— will  be  then  no  more.  Each  disposition  shall 
have  free  scope,  and  proceed,  without  impedi- 
ment, in  its  career  of  good  or  evil. 

The  temper,  therefore,  which  is  fit  for  heaven, 
must  be  formed  below  :  the  seeds  of  grace  must 
be  implanted  and  begin  to  grow  in  this  life.  The 
qualifications  for  the  enjoyment  of  heaven  must 
be  acquired  on  earth.  As  the  tender  infant  whose 
pleasures  and  pains  are,  at  present,  only  those  of 
inferior  creatures,  has  yet  faculties  beyond  theirs, 


44 


IfEETNESS  FOR  HEAVEX, 


and  is  trained,  by  a  well-directed  educatioD,  to 
pursuits  and  enjoyments  of  a  much  higher  kind  ; 
so  the  Christian,  though  in  the  feeble  infancy  of 
his  divine  life  he  may  seem  but  little  different 
from  the  world  around  him,  has  yet  a  new  nature, 
with  high  desires  and  holy  affections,  which, 
under  the  discipline  of  Christ's  Gospel,  and  the 
guidance  of  his  Spirit,  is  formed,  even  in  this 
present  state,  for  the  occupatioas  and  the  joys  of 
angels. 

But  how,  it  will  be  asked,  can  such  a  disposi- 
tion either  be  formed  or  cherished  in  a  world  like 
this  ?  I  answer ; — A  world  constituted  like  the 
present  seems  no  improper  school  for  the  forma- 
tion of  it.  How  fit  a  place  is  it  to  teach  us  the 
evil  of  sin,  under  which  we  daily  smart,  and  the 
effects  of  which  we  daily  behold!  How  well 
does  it  discover  to  us  the  necessity  of  God's 
government,  and  the  equity  and  excellence  of  his 
law!  Where  should  we  learn  the  indispensable 
obligation  of  full  submission  to  his  will,  but  in  a 
world  in  which  misery  and  discord  and  confu- 
sion arise  from  the  opposition  of  human  wills, 
and  their  perpetual  struggles  for  pre-eminence? 
\\liat  can  be  a  better  state  for  teaching  us  the 
fear  of  God,  than  one  in  which  the  peace  and 
order  we  enjoy  is  derived  chifley  from  obedience 
to  him  ?  What  so  proper  to  make  us  value  the 
uninterrupted  happiness  above,  as  the  storms 
and  troubles  of  this  unquiet  woiid  ?  Sweet, 
indeed,  is  the  haven  to  mariners,  who  have  long 
been  buffeted  by  the  waves!  Where  such  a 
school,  in  which  to  learn  the  love  of  God,  and 
his  infinite   mercy  towards  mankind,   as  that 


WHEREIN  IT  CONSISTS. 


45 


world  which  has  been  the  theatre  of  so  astonish- 
ing a  display  of  it  ?  Carry  me  not  to  the  bright 
courts  of  heaven,  to  behold  the  splendour  of  Di- 
vine goodness  ;  but  bring  me  to  the  hill  of  Cal- 
vary, and  there  let  me  learn  it,  at  the  foot  of  that 
cross  upon  which  the  Son  of  God,  my  Saviour, 
hangs  as  a  propitiation  for  my  sins !  What  a 
display  of  the  Divine  attributes  is  here  !  Angels 
themselves  look  down  from  heaven,  to  learn, 
with  mortals  upon  earth,  the  manifold  wisdom 
and  goodness  of  their  God.  And  would  we  be 
fitted  for  ever  to  serve  him,  to  join  in  eternal 
Hallelujahs  to  him  and  to  the  Lamb;  surely  a 
residence  in  this  sinful  world,  struggling  with 
many  temptations  and  exposed  to  many  dangers, 
and,  above  all,  experience  of  the  redemption 
that  is  in  Christ  Jesus,  will  prepare  us  for  it,  and 
give  us  the  sentiments  and  affections  which  it 
demands.  Thus  we  are  trained  up  that  heaven 
may  be  the  place  of  our  own  choice ;  that  the 
dispositions  which  will  render  the  enjoyment  of 
it  desirable  may  be  formed  in  us,  and,  in  part, 
exercised  by  us ;  and  that  we  may  set  a  proper 
value  upon  that  happy  state,  where  nothing  is 
transitory,  nothing  mixed  and  alloyed  with  sor- 
row, nothing  polluted  and  sinful ;  but  where  God 
reigns  amidst  a  fair  and  holy  creation,  surrounded 
by  creatures  perfectly  fulfilling  his  will,  and  per- 
petually glorifying  his  name. 

One  reflection  I  will  make  on  this  subject.— It 
is  not,  then,  enough  that  we  should  be  just  and 
moral :  there  must  be  something  in  us  more  than 
this  ; — a  holy  disposition.  We  must  feel  the  plea- 


46 


MEETNESS  FOR  HEAVEN, 


sures  of  piety :  we  must  derive  our  comforts  from 
it.  Many  approve  religion,  because  it  seems  an 
easy  way  of  pleasing  God ;  a  decent  thing  ;  that 
requires  but  little  of  our  time,  and  is  a  proper 
element  in  life.  But  if  they  were  reduced  to  take 
comfort  in  it,  they  would  be  as  much  at  a  loss  as 
those  who  had  lived  without  God  in  the  world. 
They  are  astonished,  perhaps,  at  the  impiety  of 
the  profane ;  but  they  wonder,  too,  as  much  at 
those  who  would  make  every  day  a  day  of  wor- 
ship. They  enjoy  no  more  the  pleasures  of  piety, 
than  the  pleasures  of  profaneness.  In  their  cal- 
culations of  enjoyment  and  of  happiness,  religion 
has  no  place.  When  they  fall  into  misfortunes, 
they  never  think  of  using  it  as  their  comfort;  but 
try  to  make  themselves  quiet  and  contented  by 
other  means.  To  so  little  purpose  do  numbers 
profess  the  Gospel !  How  little  does  such  a 
negative  sort  of  goodness  fit  them  for  the  enjoy- 
ments of  heaven !  How  little  does  it  produce  of 
thankfulness,  of  love,  and  cheerful  obedience ! 
How  little  is  it  like  the  spirit  of  the  Apostles  ! 
Let  us  follow  after  those  things  which  make  for 
our  eternal  peace,  and  labour  to  be  meet  to  be 
partakers  of  the  inheritance  of  the  saints  in  light. 

Lastly,  ye  who  humbly  hope  that,  through  the 
great  mercy  of  God,  ye  are  made  heirs  of  the 
kingdom  of  heaven,  consider  what  effect  this 
hope  should  have  upon  you ;  what  thankfulness  it 
ought  to  excite  ;  and  what  vigilajice  of  conduct  it 
ought  to  produce. 

1 .  What  thankfulness. — If  there  was  ever  cause 
for  thankfulness,  it  is  when  man  is  made  an  heir 
of  heaven.  Reflect  on  his  natural  state :  a  sinner y 


WHEREIN  IT  CONSISTS. 


47 


exposed  to  wrath ;  the  slave  of  satan ;  the  heir 
of  destruction  ;  serving  divers  lusts  ;  full  of  every 
evil  disposition  and  vile  affection  1 — Behold  the 
change  I  This  heir  of  misery,  and  slave  of  sin, 
is  redeemed — redeemed  by  the  sufferings,  and 
by  the  death,  of  the  Lord  of  men  and  angels ; 
made  the  object  of  his  pity  and  love  ;  sealed  by 
his  Spirit ;  comforted  by  his  promises  ;  raised 
to  dwell  and  reign  with  him  in  heaven ;  and  a 
new  nature  is  given  to  prepare  him  for  it. 

How  can  this  change  be  thought  of  without 
wonder — without  joy — without  gratitude  ?  Is  it 
a  light  thing,  or  to  be  classed  with  common  mer- 
cies? No  !  if  there  be  a  spark  of  sensibility,  of 
grateful  feeling  in  the  soul,  surely  this  is  calcu- 
lated to  call  it  forth.  What  then  should  be  your 
feelings  towards  God  and  Christ?  How  reve- 
rently should  you  adore  your  Father  who  is  in 
heaven !  How  should  the  rich  love  and  match- 
less grace  of  your  Redeemer  inspire  your  heart 
with  wonder,  and  your  tongue  with  praise  ! 

2.  What  holy  and  vigilant  conduct  should  it 
inspire ! 

Thou,  O  Christian  !  art  a  child  of  God,  and  an 
heir  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven ;  training  up  for 
immortality  and  glory.  Consider,  then,  what 
manner  of  person  thou  oughtest  to  be.  Should 
not  thy  reflections  be  of  this  kind :  I  am  not  of 
this  world,  even  as  my  Master  was  not  of  this 
world.  I  am  not,  therefore,  to  have  my  mind 
engrossed  with  its  vanities.  From  my  former 
vain  conversation  I  have  been  redeemed.  I  should 
not  be  occupied  even  by  the  business  of  the  pre- 
sent life,  as  if  it  were  my  all.  My  treasure  is  above. 


48 


MEETNtSS  FOR  HEAVEN. 


My  home  is  not  here.  I  must  live  as  a  pilgrim 
and  stranger  upon  earth.— All  the  doctrines  of 
the  Gospel  are  practical,  but  none  more  than 
this.  This  requires  purity  of  heart,  as  absolute- 
ly necessary  to  prepare  us  for  heaven.  Our  holi- 
ness is  not,  indeed,  the  foundation  of  our  claim ; 
it  is  not  the  cause  of  our  obtaining  heaven ;  but 
it  is  our  qualification  for  the  enjoyment  of  it.  It 
is  the  seal  of  God's  Spirit  preparing  us  for  it. 
Let  us  bear,  then,  in  mind  the  conclusive  infer- 
ence of  the  Apostle  :  Seeing  these  things  are 
so,  what  manner  of  persons  ought  ye  to  be  in  all 
holy  conversation  and  godliness  ?  " 


49 


SERMON  IV. 

WALKING   IN    THE    SPIRIT,    THE  PRESERVATIVE 
FROM  THE  LUSTS  OF  THE  FLESH. 


GALAT.  V.  16. 

This  I  say  then.  Walk  in  the  Spirit,  and  ye  shall 
not  fulfil  the  lusts  of  the  flesh. 

These  words  contain  a  direction,  and  a  decla- 
ration of  the  happy  effects  of  following  that  direc- 
tion. The  effects  are  such  as  will  be  most  highly 
esteemed  by  every  serious  Christian ;  being  no 
less  than  the  subjugation  of  those  lusts  of  the 
flesh  which  it  will  be  his  ardent  endeavour,  his 
unceasing  prayer,  and  his  greatest  pleasure  to 
subdue. 

The  direction  is  most  important,  not  only  on 
account  of  the  importance  of  the  end  at  which  it 
aims,  but  on  account  of  the  person  who  gives  it 
To  whom  can  we  listen  on  such  a  subject,  with  the 
certainty  of  being  directed  aright,  if  not  to  an 
Apostle  ?  Whom  else  can  we  follow  implicitly, 
under  the  full  persuasion  that  our  labour  will  not 
be  in  vain  in  the  Lord  ?  Here,  then,  is  his  coun- 
sel :  If  ye  wish  not  to  fulfil  the  lusts  of  the  flesh, 
walk  in  the  Spirit. 

We  shall  inquire,  from  these  words, 

VOL.  II.  E 


50 


WALKING  IN  THE  SPIRIT. 


I.  What  we  are  to  understand  by  the 
apostle's  advice  of  walking  in  the  spirit. 

II.  To  what  extent  we  may  expect  the 

EFFECT  OF    FOLLOWING  THIS  ADVICE   TO  TAKE 

place  :  Ye  shall  not  fulfil  the  lusts  of  the  flesh. 

I.  We  are  to  inquire  what  it  is  to  walk  in 
the  Spirit. 

I  scarcely  need  to  observe,  that  the  Spirit  of 
God  is  always  represented  in  the  New  Testament 
as  the  Author  of  all  holiness  in  the  hearts  of 
Christians ;  whence  the  Christian  dispensation 
is  eminently  styled  the  ministration  of  the 
Spirit."  Now  the  Apostle  Paul,  in  speaking  of 
the  influence  of  the  Spirit,  uses  such  terms  as 
these;  Being  after  the  Spirit,"  being  in  the 
Spirit,"  being  led  by  the  Spirit,"  living  in 
the  Spirit,"  walking  after  the  Spirit,''  mind- 
ing the  things  of  the  Spirit." — These  expressions, 
however,  though  they  may  appear  to  a  superfi- 
cial observer  to  mean  the  same  thing,  are  not  all 
to  be  confounded  with  each  other  as  perfectly 
synonimous,  since  the  Apostle  manifestly  makes 
a  difl'erence  between  them.  Thus  :  They  that 
are  after  the  Spirit  do  mind  the  things  of  the 
Spirit."  Minding  the  things  of  the  Spirit  is, 
therefore,  not  the  same  thing  as  being  after  the 
Spirit,  but  the  effect  of  it.  Again  :  If  we  live 
in  the  Spirit,  let  us  also  walk  in  the  Spirit." 
Here,  also,  to  walk  in  the  Spirit  is  the  effect 
or  consequence  of  our  living  in  the  Spirit.  To 
be  in  the  Spirit,  therefore  ;  to  be  after  the  Spirit; 
or  to  live  in  the  Spirit ;  seem  to  describe  that 


WALKING  IX  THE  SPIRIT. 


51 


participation  which  every  real  Christian  has  in 
the  influences  of  the  Spirit  of  God.  In  such,  the 
Spirit  of  God  is  said  to  dwell :  He  is  in  them  a 
quickening  Spirit:  through  their  union  with  him, 
they  are  one  with  Christ,  and  Christ  with  them ; 
and  in  this  respect  their  participation  of  the  Spirit 
is  absolutely  necessary  to  their  being  in  Christ, 
or  real  Christians.  *^  If  any  man,"  saith  the 
Apostle,  have  not  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  he  is 
none  of  his."  By  him  they  are  sealed  to  the  day 
of  redemption.  Their  bodies  are  said  to  be  his 
temple,  in  which  he  is  supposed  to  reside.  How- 
ever the  degree  of  his  influence  may  vary,  yet 
this  union  to  the  Spirit,  and  his  residence  in  them, 
are  supposed  to  be  perpetual,  in  the  case  of  real 
Christians,  from  their  first  faith  in  Christ  to  their 
entrance  into  glory.  Twill  send  you  the  Com- 
forter, and  he  will  abide  in  you  for  ever."  And 
in  consequence  of  this  union  to  the  Spirit,  which 
they  are  supposed  to  possess,  there  are  peculiar 
duties  required  of  them.  They  are  exhorted  not 
to  **  grieve  the  Spirit;"  not  to  defile  the  body, 
which  is  his  temple ;  not  to  quench  the  Spirit ;  " 
to  mind  the  things  of  the  Spirit ;  "  to  walk 
after  the  Spirit." 

This  view  of  the  Christian's  constant  union  to 
the  Spirit  of  God,  and  of  the  various  duties  which 
are  derived  from  such  an  union,  will  assist  us  to 
understand  the  meaning  of  the  phrase  in  my  text : 
**  Walk  in  the  Spirit,  and  ye  shall  not  fulfil  the 
lusts  of  the  flesh." 

The  general  idea  seems  to  be  this  : — Since  the 
Holy  Spirit  is  the  author  of  all  holiness;  and 
since,  according  to  his  promise,  he  resides  in  you 

E  2 


52 


WALKING  IX  THE  SPIRIT. 


who  are  baptized  into  the  name  of  Christ,  and 
truly  believe  in  him ;  you  are  to  cherish  his  influ- 
ences, if  yon  would  indeed  be  delirered  from  the 
lusts  of  the  flesh ;  you  are  to  commit  yourself  to 
his  guidance ;  act  in  dependence  upon  him  ;  at- 
tend to  his  directions ;  use  the  means  he  has  ap- 
pointed for  the  communication  of  his  grace :  in 
short,  you  are  to  exert  your  utmost  efforts  to 
promote  his  gracious  influences  upon  your  heart ; 
and  thus,  "  je  shall  not  fulfil  die  lusts  of  the 
flesh." 

So  much  for  the  general  idea  of  the  Apostle 
in  this  passage :  let  us  now  consider  more  parti- 
culaily  what  may  be  supposed  to  be  included  in 
"  walking  in  the  Spirit.^ 

1.  And,  first,  I  imagine  that  a  r^ard  taaUtke 
gnmt  mmgt&adpruKipies  is  implied  in  the  words 
"  walk  in  the  Spirit.' —In  the  Epistles  to  the 
Romans  and  the  Galatians,  in  which  the  phrases 
of  walking  "  in  the  Spirit"  or  aftm'  the  Spirit 
are  chiefly  used,  the  Apostle  takes  much  pains  to 
wean  the  Judaizing  ccmTeits  from  a  serrile  spirit 
of  dependencre  upon  the  Law,  and  to  instil  into 
them  a  spirit  of  liberty  in  Christ  Jesus.  He  re- 
presents it  as  the  cause,  not  only  of  their  sening 
God  with  the  spirit  of  fear  and  bondage,  but  eren 
of  their  being  under  the  dominion  of  sin,  that 
they  were  destitute  of  just  riews  of  the  grace 
which  was  in  Christ.  To  be  under  the  Law  was, 
in  his  mode  of  arguing,  neariy  the  same  thing  as 
being  under  sin.  "  When  we  were  in  the  flesh,"^ 
he  says,  the  motions  of  sin  iHiich  wm  by  the 
Law,  did  work  in  our  members  to  bring  fiiith 
fruit  unto  death.    But  now  we  are  ddiraed  from 


WALKING  IN  THE  SPIKIT. 


53 


the  Law,  that  being  dead  wherein  we  w^ere  held ; 
that  we  should  serve  in  newness  of  spirit,  and 
not  in  the  oldness  of  the  letter.  Wherefore,  ye 
also,  my  brethren,  are  become  dead  to  the  Law 
by  the  body  of  Christ,  that  ye  should  be  married 
to  another,  even  to  Him  who  is  raised  from  the 
dead,  that  we  should  bring  forth  fruit  unto  God.'* 
— The  Epistle  to  the  Galatians  was  written  with 
the  particular  view  of  opposing  the  error,  into 
which  they  had  generally  fallen,  of  placing  their 
dependence  for  justification  upon  the  observance 
of  the  Law.  He  exhorts  them,  on  the  contrary, 
to  "  stand  fast  in  the  liberty  with  which  Christ 
had  made  them  free;"  and,  taking  occasion  to 
mention  the  divisions  and  contentions  there  were 
among  them,  refers  to  this  as  one  cause  of  those 
evils,  that  their  principles  and  motives  were  not 
sufficiently  evangelical.  "  Walk  therefore  in  the 
Spirit,"  he  says,  with  reference  peculiarly  to  the 
ruling  principle  of  their  conduct,  and  ye  shall 
not  fulfil  the  lusts  of  the  flesh  :  "  for,  as  it  follows 
in  the  next  verse  but  one,  if  ye  are  led  hy  the 
Spirit,  ye  are  not  under  the  Law  ;"  and  therefore 
it  is  implied,     sin  shall  not  have  dominion  over 

you." 

The  principles  from  which  a  person  acts,  have 
a  constant  and  powerful  influence  upon  his  con- 
duct. It  is  scarcely  possible,  for  one  whose  views 
are  confined  and  gloomy,  to  act  in  a  liberal  and 
open  manner.  Let  a  man's  ideas  of  God  and  of 
his  service  be  narrow  and  dark ;  let  him  conceive 
of  him  as  a  jealous  and  unreasonable  Master ;  let 
him  conceive  the  duties  required  of  him  to  be  a 


54 


WALKING  IN  THE  SPIRIT. 


task  rigidly  enforced,  the  reason  and  propriety  of 
which  he  does  not  perceive,  and  the  burden  of 
which  is  relieved  by  no  delightful  and  animating 
considerations  of  the  nature  of  the  service,  or  the 
excellence  of  him  to  whom  it  is  due ;  and  what 
can  you  expect,  but  a  service  reluctantly  and  im- 
perfectly performed, — a  service  without  spirit ;  a 
bondage  and  a  burden ;  a  nominal  and  outward 
obedience,  while  the  heart  is  withheld  ? 

Now  to  walk  in  the  Spirit,"  is,  I  apprehend, 
to  entertain  and  cherish  those  views  which  are 
directly  contrary.  Where  the  Spirit  of  the 
Lord  is,  there  is  liberty."'  The  dispensation  of  the 
Spirit  reveals  the  glory  of  the  Lord;  opens  the 
treasures  of  his  grace;  exhibits  him  as  a  kind  and 
tender  Father,  offering  pardon  and  peace  and 
eternal  life  to  all  who  come  to  him  in  Christ.  It 
shews  the  exceeding  riches  of  his  grace,  and  the 
infinite  extent  of  his  love.  Taught  by  the  Spirit, 
we  draw  nigh  to  God  as  children,  and  cry,  Abba, 
Father  :  enlightened  by  him,  we  see  something 
of  the  length  and  breadth  and  depth  and  height 
of  the  love  of  Christ,  and  are  filled  with  joy  and 
peace  in  believing  :  animated  by  him,  we  run  the 
race  set  before  us  with  the  well-founded  hope  of 
victory,  trusting  in  the  mercy  of  God,  and  in- 
fluenced by  the  constraining  love  of  Christ.  This 
disposition  of  mind,  so  necessary  to  our  Christian 
progress,  the  Spirit  peculiarly  conveys  to  those 
who  believe  in  Christ ;  and  hence  to  "  walk  in 
the  Spirit"  may  be  justly  considered  to  imply 
the  cherishing  of  such  views  and  such  a  disposi- 
tion as  are  suitable  to  the  Gospel  dispensation, 


WALKING  IN  THE  SPIRIT. 


55 


and  as  it  is  the  design  of  the  Spirit,  both  in  his 
word  and  in  his  operations  on  the  soul  of  believers, 
to  convey. 

2.  By  walking  in  the  Spirit  may  be  also  implied 
habitual  dependence  upon  his  help. — It  is  not  enough 
that  God  is  pleased  to  administer  salvation  to  man 
by  the  death  of  his  Son  and  the  influence  of  his 
Spirit ;  he  requires  that  man  should  believe  in 
the  one,  and  should  seek  for  the  other.  The  plan 
of  salvation  is  adapted  to  us  as  rational  creatures  ; 
and,  therefore,  proper  knowledge  and  suitable 
dispositions  are  required  of  us.  Now  as  the 
merits  of  the  death  of  Christ  are  only  received 
by  faith,  so  neither  are  the  influences  of  the 
Spirit  to  be  expected  but  in  a  way  of  dependence 
upon  him.  To  walk  in  the  Spirit,  therefore,  is 
to  acknowledge  with  the  heart  our  own  weakness 
and  inability  to  serve  God ;  to  expect  victory 
over  sin  only  by  the  gracious  operation  of  his 
Spirit ;  earnestly  to  solicit  his  help  ;  to  use  all 
means  and  advantages  with  an  entire  dependence 
on  his  Divine  blessing  to  make  them  effectual ; 
and  to  give  glory  and  honour  to  the  Spirit  for  all 
the  increase  of  knowledge  and  grace  which  we 
receive.  It  is  not  enough  that  our  object  be 
good ;  but  our  manner  of  obtaining  that  object 
must  be  good  also.  All  sects  and  all  religions 
agree  in  proposing  a  good  end;  namely,  that  of 
a  virtuous  life  ;  but  there  is  a  wide  difference  in 
the  means  used  to  attain  it.  The  religion  of  a 
Christian  is  a  religion  in  which  the  sufferings  of 
Christ  and  the  work  of  the  Spirit  make  a  princi- 
pal part ;  and  he  mistakes,  in  the  most  important 
points  of  it,  who  thinks  it  sufficient  to  attend  to 


66  WALKING  IN  THE  SPIRIT. 

the  precepts  of  the  Gospel,  without  having  respect 
to  the  peculiar  means  which  it  prescribes.  The 
honour  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  and  the  glory  of  the 
Son,  in  their  respective  offices  of  Sanctifier  and 
Redeemer,  are  perhaps  full  as  properly  the  ob- 
jects of  the  Christian  scheme  of  salvation,  as  the 
happiness  of  man.  And  it  is,  I  fear,  the  great 
error  of  the  present  day,  that  a  religion  is  pro* 
posed  in  which  the  Son  and  the  Spirit  have  no 
place :  it  is  the  melioration  of  heathen  morality 
by  a  mixture  of  the  purity  of  the  Gospel,  without 
that  spirituality  which  is  the  very  essence  of  the 
Christian  religion. 

3.  To  walk  in  the  Spirit  implies,  also,  that  we 
use  the  means  by  which  the  Spirit  has  promised  to 
convey  his  influence,  in  the  humble  hope  of  thus 
receiving  it.^ — The  influence  of  the  Spirit  is  not 
promised,  except  in  the  use  of  appointed  means. 

I  will  be  inquired  of  by  the  house  of  Israel  for 
these  things,  saith  the  Lord,"  when  he  promised 
the  Spirit.  Ask,  and  ye  shall  have  ;  seek,  and 
ye  shall  find."  For  what  man  is  there  among 
you,  whom,  if  his  son  ask  bread,  will  he  give  him 
a  stone?.... If  ye  then,  being  evil,  know  how  to 
give  good  gifts  unto  your  children,  how  much 
more  shall  your  Heavenly  Father  give  the  Holy 
Spirit  to  them  that  ask  him  ?  " — To  expect  the 
help  of  the  Spirit  without  the  use  of  the  means, 
is  enthusiasm  and  unwarranted  presumption.  I 
know  not  how  it  comes  to  be  taken  for  granted 
by  some,  that  the  diligent  use  of  means,  and  de- 
pendence upon  the  Spirit,  are  incompatible  with 
each  other.  They  seem  to  be  afraid  of  rating  too 
highly  the  means  and  ordinances ;  as  if  the  Spirit 


WALKING  IN  THE  SPIRIT. 


57 


of  God  were  honoured  in  proportion  as  we  under- 
valued the  ordinances.    On  the  contrary,  it  ap- 
pears to  me  that  a  man  cannot  so  effectually  de- 
pend upon  the  Spirit  as  by  diligently  using  all 
the  means.    Dependence  on  the  Spirit,  and  the 
use  of  means,  ^ire  not  opposed  to  each  other:  they 
are  closely  allied.  By  the  means,  the  Spirit  works. 
They  are  but  his  instruments,  by  which  he  is 
pleased  to  communicate  his  influences  to  us.  We 
honour  the  Spirit,  not  by  neglecting  his  appointed 
ordinances,  but  by  sedulously  using  them.  He, 
therefore,  who  walks  in  the  Spirit,  will  conscien- 
tiously and  reverently  attend  to  all  the  prescribed 
ordinances.  He  will  pray  much  in  the  Spirit.  In 
prayer,  the  Spirit  operates  on  the  soul,  he  helps 
our  infirmities,  instils  good  desires  into  our  hearts, 
and  makes  intercession  for  us  with  fervent  aspi- 
rations.   He  will  read  the  word,  written  by  the 
inspiration  of  the  Spirit ;  and  expect  that,  by 
means  of  that  word,  his  mind  will  be  illuminated. 
He  will  attend  the  preaching  of  the  Gospel,  know- 
ing that  the  influence  of  the  Spirit  is  conveyed 
through  the  ministry  of  preaching.    He  will  re- 
ceive  that  holy  sacrament  which  was  especially  de- 
signed as  a  means  of  confirming  our  faith  in  Christ 
crucified,  and  communicating  the  aid  of  the  Holy 
Spirit.    In  short,  he  will  shew  his  reverence  for 
the  Spirit,  and  express  the  desire  he  has  of  ob- 
taining his  special  influences,  by  a  devout  and 
uniform  use  of  all  those  means  by  which  the  Spirit 
has  been  pleased  to  grant  his  Divine  assistance  to 
the  soul. 

4.  I  observe,  further,  that  to  walk  in  the  Spirit 
implies  the  ea;ercise  of  a  holy  fear  of  him  j  which 


58  WALKING  IN  THE  SPIRIT. 

will  manifest  itself  by  avoiding  those  things  which 
would  grieve  him,  and  by  complying  with  his 
holy  motions. — There  is  such  a  thing  as  resisting 
the  Spirit,  as  grieving  the  Spirit,  as  quenching 
the  Spirit,  against  which  we  are  warned  in  Scrip- 
ture. This  we  do,  when  we  sin  wijfully  and  pre- 
sumptuously ;  when  we  give  way  to  sins  of  im- 
purity, which  are  particularly  contrary  to  his 
pure  and  holy  nature ;  or  to  the  suggestions  of 
infidelity,  by  which  the  Israelites  in  the  wilder- 
ness are  said  to  have  vexed  and  grieved  him. 
Now  he  who  walks  in  the  Spirit  will  maintain  a 
holy  fear  and  jealousy  of  himself,  lest  he  should 
offend  his  illustrious  Visitor.  Though  he  will  be 
careful  to  distinguish  between  the  imaginations 
of  his  own  fancy  and  the  suggestions  of  the  Spirit, 
yet  he  will  carefully  attend  to  those  intimations 
which  are  fully  in  unison  with  the  revealed  will 
of  God,  and  which  strongly  enforce  it ;  and,  im- 
pressed with  a  reverence  of  his  authority,  will 
be  afraid  of  acting  against  his  will. 

5.  And,  lastly,  to  walk  in  the  Spirit  implies 
the  cullivation  of  that  heavenly -mindedness  which 
the  Spirit  particularly  inspires.— A  worldly,  co- 
vetous, or  vain  frame  of  mind,  is  as  destructive  of 
the  Spirit's  influence  as  acts  of  gross  sin.  They 
that  be  after  the  Spirit,"  saith  the  Apostle,  do 
mind  the  things  of  the  Spirit.*'  The  object  of  the 
Spirit  is  to  impress  the  soul  with  a  view  of  the 
vanity  of  the  things  of  time  and  sense,  and  of  the 
importance  of  those  which  are  spiritual.  He 
communicates  no  ideas  relating  to  science,  or  to 
gain,  or  to  worldly  pleasure  or  enjoyment ;  he 
resides  not  in  the  heart  which  is  engrossed  by 


WALKING  IN  THE  SPIRIT. 


59 


these.  His  object  is  to  communicate  heavenly 
things  :  to  implant  the  fear  and  love  of  God  ;  to 
instil  faith  in  the  Saviour  ;  to  elevate  the  soul  to 
a  hope  and  foretaste  of  the  joys  above;  to  encou- 
rage holy  affections  ;  and  to  implant  the  mind 
which  was  in  Christ.  If  we  walk  in  the  Spirit, 
therefore,  it  will  be  our  endeavour  to  repress  that 
worldliness  of  heart,  that  appetite  after  sensual 
pleasure,  that  craving  anxiety  for  earthly  objects, 
which  is  natural  to  the  carnal  heart.  To  be 
carnally  minded  is  death,  but  to  be  spiritually 
minded  is  life  and  peace."  The  carnal  mind  is 
put  in  opposition  to  the  spiritual  mind.  Spiritual 
life  consists  in  mortifying,  through  the  Spirit,  the 
deeds  of  the  body. 

A  particular  temptation  is  often  most  success- 
fully overcome,  not  so  much  by  directly  op- 
posing it,  and  reasoning  against  it,  as  by  encou- 
raging a  contrary  disposition  of  mind.  When  the 
object  of  temptation  is  present,  the  view  of  it  too 
often  only  inflames  our  passions,  and  gives  vigour 
to  temptation.  Here  we  must  flee  from  it,  rather 
than  resist  it.  But,  in  the  absence  of  temptation, 
there  is  an  opportunity  of  overcoming  it  effectu- 
ally, by  cultivating  a  spirit  incompatible  with  it; 
a  spirit  of  purity,  heavenly-mindedness,  humility, 
and  divine  love.  This  is  to  alter  the  nature  of 
the  soil  which  encouraged  the  growth  of  weeds. 
This  is  also  to  guard,  not  against  that  particular 
temptation  only,  but  to  fortify  the  mind  against 
sin  in  general.  For  where  the  mind  is  much 
occupied  about  divine  things,  and  acquires  a 
taste  for  holy  pursuits,  the  tempter  will  meet 
with  little  encouragement.    It  is  the  soul  that 


60 


WALKING  IN  THE  SPIRIT. 


has  first  abandoned  itself  to  covetousness,  care- 
lessness, sloth,  or  sensuality,  which  falls  an  easy 
prey  to  his  assaults. 

If,  then,  we  would  walk  in  the  Spirit,  we  must 
cultivate  spiritual  views,  and  act  from  spiritual 
motives.  We  must  honour  him,  by  exercising 
an  habitual  dependence  upon  his  help  ;  we  must 
pay  a  conscientious  reverence  to  the  means  and 
ordinances  which  he  has  appointed ;  we  must  be 
cautious  lest  we  grieve  him,  or  resist  his  holy 
motions  ;  and,  finally,  we  must  cultivate  that 
heavenly-mindedness  and  those  holy  affections 
which  he  communicates  to  the  soul. 

II.  If  we  thus  walk  in  the  Spirit,  we  shall  not 

FULFIL  the  lusts  OF  THE  FLESH.     This  is  the 

second  point  which  I  proposed  to  illustrate. 

There  is  a  certain  degree  to  which  victory  over 
the  sinful  desires  of  the  flesh  is  obtained  by  every 
real  Christian ;  and  this  degree  is,  perhaps,  pro- 
portioned to  that  in  which  he  walks  in  the  Spirit. 
The  flesh,  indeed,  lusteth  against  the  Spirit,  and 
the  Spirit  against  the  flesh  ;  so  that,  in  this  im- 
perfect state,  while  the  flesh  still  remains,  there 
is  a  constant  conflict  between  them.  But  though, 
on  this  account,  the  Christian  is  not  able  to  do  en- 
tirely the  things  which  he  would,  yet,  on  the  other 
hand,  neither  is  the  flesh,  or  the  corrupt  nature, . 
able  to  act  according  to  its  will :  and  it  is  added, 
for  our  encouragement,  that,  if  we  walk  in  the 
Spirit,  we  are  not  under  the  Law  ;  therefore  nei- 
ther shall  sin  gain  the  ascendancy  over  us,  nor 
shall  we  finally  fall  under  the  condemnation  of 
the  Law. 


WALKING  IN  THE  SPIRIT. 


61 


The  man  who  walks  not  in  the  Spirit  is  a  willing- 
servant  of  sin  :  he  either  opposes  not  the  lusts  of 
the  flesh,  or  he  does  it  feebly  and  partially,  and 
from  imperfect  or  corrupt  motives.  He  lives 
under  the  power  and  dominion  of  sin. — On  the 
contrary,  the  man  who  is  renewed  by  the  Spirit, 
though  he  still  feels  the  power  of  sin,  yet  resists 
and  struggles  against  it  generally  and  habitually. 
His  prevailing  wish  is  to  be  free  from  all  sin.  He 
is  using  measures  to  obtain  the  victory  over  it ; 
and,  when  foiled,  he  is  dejected  and  miserable. 
He  does  not,  as  he  once  did,  make  his  sin  his 
pleasure  ;  but  it  is  his  burden  and  pain. 

A  material  difference  will  therefore  be  visible, 
between  one  who  is  in  the  flesh  and  one  who  is 
in  the  Spirit,  in  the  manner  in  which  they  will 
receive  this  advice  of  the  Apostle.  He  who  is  in 
the  flesh  will  take  no  pains  to  understand  it,  nor 
will  he  labour  to  follow  it :  he  is  easy  and  con- 
tented :  you  tell  him  of  a  remedy  for  a  disease 
which  he  does  not  feel,  and  point  him  out  a  good 
which  he  does  not  wish  to  obtain. 

On  the  contrary,  he  who  is  born  of  the  Spirit, 
being  accustomed  to  consider  the  corrupt  desires 
of  the  flesh  as  his  greatest  enemies,  will  be  glad 
to  hear  and  to  follow  the  advice  by  which  he  may 
be  delivered  from  them.  With  anxiety,  therefore, 
he  will  consider  what  it  is  to  walk  in  the  Spirit. 
Where  he  does  not  understand,  he  will  reflect  and 
meditate.  Where  the  advice  appears  just  and 
reasonable,  he  will  not  delay  to  follow  it.  When 
it  succeeds,  he  will  be  elevated  with  hope :  when 
it  fails,  he  will  be  dejected,  yet  will  still  endea- 
vour more  fully  and  more  diligently  to  walk  in 


62  WALKING  IN  THE  SPIRIT. 

the  Spirit,  Thus  the  honour  of  the  Spirit  will  be 
promoted  by  him,  and  the  work  of  the  Spirit  will 
be  carried  on  in  his  heart. 

Permit  me  to  conclude  with  a  short  application 
of  the  whole. 

How  important  is  the  subject  of  the  influence 
of  the  Spirit  of  God  on  the  soul  of  man !  But 
**  will  God  in  very  deed  dwell  with  man  ! "  we  may 
well  exclaim.    Yes;  his  influence  is  promised,  as 
the  peculiar  gift  of  God  to  all  who  believe  in  the 
name  of  Christ.  What  attention,  then,  do  we  pay 
to  him  ?    What  is  his  influence  on  our  hearts  ? 
Does  he  abide  in  us  ?      If  any  man  have  not  the 
Spirit  of  Christ,  he  is  none  of  his."   Are  we  then 
walking  after  the  Spirit?    Are  there  visible  in  us 
the  marks  of  the  Spirit's  agency  ?  Could  he  dwell 
in  us,  and  our  hearts  be,  nevertheless,  covetous, 
worldly,  sensual,  impure  ?    If  he  does  dwell  in 
us,  shall  it  not  be  evidenced  by  effects  suitable 
to  his  character  and  office?  Shall  we  not  produce 
the  fruits  of  the  Spirit  ?    Shall  we  not  walk  after 
the  Spirit?  Will  not  the  Spirit  be  lusting  against 
the  flesh,  as  well  as  the  flesh  against  the  Spirit? 
Shall  we  not  perceive  the  eff"ect  of  his  work,  in  all 
goodness,  righteousness,  and  truth  ?    Shall  we 
not  enjoy  a  spirit  of  holy  liberty  in  the  service  of 
God;  draw  nigh  to  God  in  the  Spirit  of  adoption  ; 
delight  in  the  law  of  God ;  rejoice  in  believing 
with  a  hope  full  of  consolation  ?  The  presence  of 
the  Spirit  of  God  must  doubtless  manifest  itself 
by  the  purity,  and  righteousness,  and  holy  aff'ec- 
tions  which  are  imparted  by  it.    What,  then,  do 
we  know  of  the  work  of  the  Spirit  ?  What  tokens 


WALKING  IN  THE  SPIRIT. 


63 


do  we  possess  of  his  spiritual  aid  ? — Thus  are  we 
called  upon  by  the  Apostle  to  prove  ourselves. 

Examine,"  saith  he,  whether  you  be  in  the 
faith  ;  prove  your  own  selves.  Know  ye  not 
your  own  selves,  how  that  Jesus  Christ  is  in  you 
(that  is,  by  his  Spirit),  except  ye  be  repro- 
bates"— except  your  profession  of  Christianity 
be  only  an  empty  form  ?  God  grant  that  we  may 
have  a  witness  in  ourselves  that  God  hath  given 
to  us  eternal  life,  and  that  this  life  is  in  his  Son;  " 
and  a  well-founded  hope  that  we  have  been seal- 
ed with  that  Holy  Spirit  of  promise,  which  is  the 
earnest  of  our  inheritance  until  the  redemption  of 
the  purchased  possession! " 

To  conclude  :  Are  we  labouring  not  to  fulfil  the 
lusts  of  the  flesh  ?    Is  it  our  chief  desire  to  mor- 
tify our  corrupt  nature  ?   This  is  indeed  the  cha- 
racteristic property  of  every  real  Christian.  He 
cannot  be  a  true  disciple  of  Christ  unless  he  is 
supremely  influenced  by  such  a  wish.    Then  let 
us  attend  to  the  direction  of  the  Apostle:  Walk 
in  the  Spirit."     Consider  in  what  manner  the 
Spirit  is  pleased  to  impart  his  sacred  influences. 
There  is  a  line  of  conduct  which  he  requires  us 
to  pursue,  in  order  to  be  partakers  of  them.  The 
connection  between  a  spiritual  walk  and  victory 
over  sin,  is  indissoluble.   It  is  vain  to  expect  the 
one  without  the  other.   Let  us  see,  then,  that  we 
are  spiritually  minded ;  that  we  are  following  the 
rules  which  the  Spirit  has  laid  down  for  the  edi- 
fication of  the  church.  Let  us  beware  of  grieving 
the  Spirit,  by  forsaking  the  path  he  has  pointed 
out  to  us,  by  seeking  to  obtain  dominion  over  sin 
by  motives  merely  human  or  worldly,  by  neglect- 


64 


WALKING  IN  THE  SPIRIT. 


ing  to  seek  his  aid,  by  slighting  his  ordinances, 
by  giving  way  to  wilful  sin,  or  by  encouraging  a 
worldly  and  sensual  spirit.  Vain  is  the  hope  of 
that  man  who  expects  the  influence  of  the  Spirit 
to  operate  upon  him,  while  he  takes  no  pains 
himself,  exercises  no  self-denial,  watches  not 
against  transgression.  Vain  is  the  hope  of  those 
who,  because  they  coldly  pray  for  the  influence 
of  the  Spirit,  think  there  is  no  necessity  to  do 
more,  and  are  easy  and  at  rest,  though  they  ex- 
perience no  victory  over  sin  :  as  if  the  fault  no 
longer  rested  with  them,  but  with  God,  who  does 
not  please  to  communicate  his  aid.  God  does 
not  offer  the  Spirit,  to  encourage  and  foster  the 
sloth  of  man,  but  to  quicken  his  diligence.  Walk, 
then,  in  the  Spirit :  let  your  whole  conduct  and 
conversation  be  ordered  according  to  the  holy 
directions  of  the  Spirit  of  God  in  his  revealed 
word.  Thus  you  will  obtain  the  victory  over  sin. 
Thus  you  will  overcome  in  the  good  fight  of  faith, 
and  receive  the  palm  of  triumph. 


65 


SERMON  V. 

REGARD  TO  GOD  THE  GREAT  PRESERVATIVE 
FROM  SIN. 

GEN.  XXXix.  9. 

How  then  can  I  do  this  great  wickedness,  and  sin 
against  God? 

It  is  of  the  utmost  importance  that  we  should 
possess  right  principles  of  action  ;  both  because 
the  quality  of  an  action  is  to  be  determined, 
chiefly,  by  the  principle  from  which  it  flows,  and 
because  a  mans  conduct  is  so  influenced  and 
directed  by  his  principles,  that  the  whole  quan- 
tity of  good  or  evil  which  he  does  may  be  chiefly 
attributed  to  these. 

The  power  of  bad  principles  to  produce  bad 
actions  is  evident ;  but  it  is  not  always  perceived 
that  they  sometimes  give  birth  to  actions  which 
appear  to  be  good,  and  which  would  be  really  so, 
if  the  principle  from  which  they  flowed  were  not 
corrupt.  Yet  this  is  very  frequently  the  case  : 
and  much  of  the  virtue,  therefore,  which  passes 
current  in  the  world,  at  least  much  of  the  absti- 
nence from  vice  which  is  seen  in  it,  will  be  found 
deficient  in  real  worth,  on  account  of  its  not 
having  proceeded  from  right  principles. 

1.  One  false  principle  on  which  some  men 

VOL.  II.  F 


66 


REGARD  TO  GOD 


abstain  from  sins,  and  practise  some  duties,  is 
that  of  cojiimutation. — Against  the  sensual  indul- 
gences, for  example,  which  they  will  not  re- 
nounce, they  set  off  a  liberality,  which  they  take 
pride  perhaps  in  indulging  ;  and  while  they  feed 
the  hungry,  and  clothe  the  naked,  and  bid  the 
widow's  heart  rejoice,  think  their  vice  of  no 
weight  in  the  balance,  and  claim  the  full  benefit 
of  that  declaration  of  our  Lord,  Blessed  are 
the  merciful,  for  they  shall  obtain  mercy." — 
Others  rest  on  their  integrity  to  redeem  their 
failings  ;  and  because  they  are  true  to  their  word, 
and  faithful  in  their  engagements,  assume  that 
profaneness,  for  instance,  or  pride,  are  venial 
faults,  which  may  be  endured  in  such  characters, 
and  which  God  himself  will  overlook,  in  consi- 
deration of  the  virtue:  for  the  righteous  Lord 
loveth  righteousness,  and  a  just  weight  is  his 
delight.'' — A  third  class,  if  possible  worse  than 
these,  are  they  who  would  compound  for  their 
sins  by  exercises  of  devotion  ;  who,  while  they 
live  in  injustice,  in  deceit,  in  malice,  or  covet- 
ousness,  yet  confide  in  all  the  promises  to  the 
godly,  with  only  this  symptom  of  godliness,  that 
they  make  many  prayers. 

Now,  in  all  such  cases  the  duty  which  is  prac- 
tised serves  only  as  a  cover  to  sin,  and  as  a  pre- 
ventive to  that  salutar\'  remorse  of  conscience 
which  else  might  restrain  their  corruptions. 

2.  A  second  false  principle,  by  which  men  are 
kept  from  certain  acts  of  sin,  is  the  propensity  to 
sim  of  a?i  opposite  nature.— -Thus  avarice  will  be  a 
check,  not  only  on  profusion,  but  on  all  the  \ices 
which  raay  lead  to  it.  Lewdness,  or  drunkenness, 


THE  GREAT  PRESERVATIVE  FROM  SIX.  67 

or  ambition,  for  instance,  may  be  stigmatized, 
may  be  avoided,  may  even  be  really  disliked, 
not  out  of  any  regard  to  true  virtue,  but  for  the 
mere  expense  which  they  occasion.  A  spirit  of 
prodigality,  on  the  other  hand,  will,  for  the 
same  reason,  and  on  principles  just  as  corrupt, 
inveigh  against  avarice,  paint  in  lively  colours 
the  effects  of  a  close  and  covetous  disposition, 
and  view  every  thing  that  appears  sordid  or 
mean  with  abhorrence.  In  neither  case  is  it  the 
hatred  of  sin,  or  the  love  of  holiness,  which 
restrains  from  evil,  or  dictates  a  practice  par- 
tially right ;  but  it  is  the  prevalence  of  one  vice 
over  another  at  variance  with  it :  it  is,  in  fact, 
the  very  love  of  sin  which  is  the  foundation  of 
a  seemingly  virtuous  conduct. 

3.  Fear  of  censure  from  the  world  is  another 
principle  of  this  nature. — There  are  some  sins  so 
destructive  to  the  peace  of  society,  and  in  them- 
selves so  abominable,  that  they  are  held  gene- 
rally scandalous  among  mankind.  The  dread, 
therefore,  of  incurring  the  loss  of  reputation  will 
act  as  a  check  upon  these  sins ;  and  the  more 
so,  as  it  is  a  loss  which  often  involves  other 
losses,  and  is  attended  with  inconveniences  or 
vexations.  And  though  this  regard  to  character 
is  sometimes  of  excellent  use  in  the  conduct  of 
life,  yet  to  make  it  the  sole  or  leading  motive,  to 
abstain  from  what  is  sinful  on  this  ground  alone, 
can  scarcely  be  denominated  virtue.  The  fear 
of  man,  upon  which  it  is  founded,  may  be  a  most 
corrupt  principle.  It  is  often  in  direct  opposi- 
tion to  the  fear  of  God  ;  and  is  found,  by  those 
who  are  truly  desirous  of  serving  him,  to  be  that 

F  2 


68 


REGARD  TO  GOD 


very  principle  which  they  have  ever  most  cause 
to  watch  against  and  resist. 

4.  If  to  the  fear  of  censure,  we  add  the  love  of 
applause,  which  is  almost  always  associated  with 
it,  we  shall  find  the  root  of  what  is  commonly 
called  the  sense  of  honour, — a  principle  among 
the  most  powerful  which  influence  the  human 
breast,— obtaining  chiefly  in  generous  minds  ;  and 
serviceable,  without  doubt,  in  restraining  from 
some  vices  ;  but  which,  nevertheless,  is  radically 
defective,  and  even  in  a  high  degree  corrupt. 
Trace  it  to  its  origin,  and  we  find  it  arising  from 
a  fear  of  the  censure,  and  a  desire  of  the  appro- 
bation, of  the  world.  A  man  values  himself  on 
his  contempt  for  certain  vices  which  he  thinks 
opprobrious  or  base,  and  upon  his  adherence  to 
a  certain  line  of  conduct  which  he  deems  worthy 
and  honourable.  If  you  ask  whi/  he  thus  con- 
temns the  vice,  and  admires  the  virtue  ;  it  is  not 
because  the  one  is  wrong  and  the  other  right, 
according  to  the  pure  and  holy  law  of  God — it 
is  not  that  there  is  any  assignable  moral  turpi- 
tude in  what  he  hates,  more  than  in  many  other 
things  which  he  freely  allows  ;  nor  that  there  is 
any  real  excellence  in  what  he  approves,  more 
than  in  many  things  for  which  he  has  no  such 
esteem — but  merely  because  there  is  a  class  of 
persons  in  the  world,  with  whom  he  would  wish 
to  be  thought  connected,  who  both  maintain 
these  sentiments  themselves,  and  exclude  and 
censure  all  who  do  not  maintain  them.  On  this 
account,  he  comes  to  think  on  such  points  as 
they  think  ;  to  value  himself  on  all  that  gives 
him  the  distinction  he  desires;  and  to  reject 


THE  GREAT  PRESERVATIVE  FROM  SIX.  69 


what  would  deprive  him  of  it,  as  bringing  a  stain 
upon  his  reputation.  Thus  his  pride  and  his 
vanity  will  become  strong  guards  against  all 
crimes  which  are  dishonourable. — Yet  what  is 
this  (if  we  examine  the  point  on  any  sound  and 
solid  principles)  but  corruption  engaged  against 
corruption,  and  vice  at  war  with  vice  ?  Or  what 
aversion  to  sin,  as  sin,  can  result  from  it  ?  Let 
those  who  would  prefer  death  to  a  dishonourable 
crime  be  tried  where  no  such  disgrace  attaches  ; 
and  this  sense  of  honour  may  be  found  to  encou- 
rage evil,  in  some  cases,  quite  as  much  as  it 
prevents  it  in  others.  It  instigates  to  revenge  ; 
it  authorizes  duelling ;  it  is  directly  contrary  to 
the  spirit  of  Christianity,  which  inculcates  meek- 
ness, forbearance,  humility,  poverty  of  spirit.  It 
will  excuse  fornication,  drunkenness,  prodigality, 
profaneness,  neglect  of  public  and  private  wor- 
ship, and  want  of  charity  to  the  poor.  The 
principle  which  allows  and  sanctions  so  much 
corruption,  is  entitled  to  little  credit,  even  when, 
by  accident,  it  restrains  from  the  commission  of 
evil. 

5.  The  dread  of  consequences  is  another  prin- 
ciple which  may  prevent  the  commission  of  sin, 
but  which  cannot  be  looked  upon  as  a  principle 
that  sanctifies  the  conduct. — It  is  so  ordered  in 
the  constitution  of  the  world,  that  vice,  especially 
of  some  kinds,  is  followed  by  great  inconve- 
nience. Intoxication,  for  instance,  stupifies  the 
faculties,  injures  the  constitution,  unfits  for  bu- 
siness, entails  misery  upon  a  family,  and  pro- 
duces want  and  disgrace.  A  person  seeing  these 
effects,  perhaps  beginning  to  feel  them,  may  be 


70 


REGARD  TO  GOD 


thus  induced  to  deny  himself,  and  to  restrain  a 
practice  which  he  has  reason  to  fear  will  be  in- 
jurious to  him.  Yet  what  is  this  but  the  dictate 
of  self-love  ?  What  is  it,  but  that  common  regard 
to  self-preservation,  that  natural  instinct,  which 
may  be  exceedingly  strong  where  there  is  not 
the  least  regard  to  God  and  his  religion  ?  Shall 
we  call  such  a  conduct  virtuous?  It  may  be 
styled  prudent ;  it  may  be  allowed  the  merit  of 
being  better  than  a  contrary^  practice  ;  but  it 
surely,  in  no  respect,  deserves  the  name  of  virtue, 
unless  it  be  made  a  part  of  virtue  to  defend  our 
bodies  from  harm,  or  to  avoid  taking  poison 
which  we  know  would  produce  both  pain  and 
death. 

6.  A  sixth  imperfect  principle,  by  which  many 
are  led  to  abstain  from  gross  acts  of  sin,  is  the 
dread  of  a  guilty  comcknct. — They,  have  been 
accustomed  to  suffer  much  uneasiness  from  the 
secret  sting  of  conscience,  when  they  have  done 
w^hat  is  grossly  wrong.  They  remember  how 
bitter  their  feelings  were ;  how  much  they  en- 
dured from  a  mind  so  preying  upon  itself ;  what 
painful  apprehensions  of  Divine  vengeance  tor- 
mented them,  what  uneasy  sensations  and  fears 
disturbed  their  rest.  They  compare  this  with 
the  peace  of  mind  which  innocence  produces  ; 
and,  balancing  the  one  with  the  other,  determine 
that  it  is  expedient  to  deny  themselves  a  present 
gratification,  rather  than  lose  their  peace  of  mind 
and  expose  themselves  to  misery.  Yet  what  is 
this  but  mere  prudence,  appearing  under  a  more 
specious  form  ?  How  little  does  it  amount  to 
beyond  a  dislike  of  the  effects  which  follow  sin ; 


THE  GREAT  PRESERVATIVE  FROM  SIN.  71 

while  the  love  of  it  may  still  remain  rooted  in  the 
heart ! 

I  do  not  deny  that  all  these  imperfect  principles 
may  be  of  some  use  in  the  world.  They  certainly 
are  so ;  for  to  these  must  be  attributed,  in  very 
great  part,  the  degree  of  justice,  of  temperance, 
sobriety,  and  moderation  which  is  still  remaining 
among  men.  Neither  would  I  advise  that  these 
should  be  renounced,  because  they  are  erroneous 
and  faulty,  unless  better  were  implanted  in  their 
room  ;  but  this  I  must  say,  that  these  are  not  holy 
principles ;  they  have  nothing  to  do  with  true  re- 
ligion; the  practice  founded  on  them  is  imperfect; 
and  there  is  a  necessity  that  other  principles,  purer 
and  more  competent,  should  be  acquired.  Reflect 
a  little  more  particularly  how  very  imperfect  they 
are.  They  produce,  at  best,  but  a  partial  prac- 
tice. They  extend  only  to  the  prevention  of  cer- 
tain sins,  while  others  are  permitted.  Such  as  are 
gross,  such  as  are  scandalous,  such  as  are  inj  urious 
to  fortune,  health,  or  peace,  they  will  restrain; 
but  those  which  the  world  tolerates — the  work- 
ings of  pride,  of  self-love,  and  of  vanity — they 
leave  wholly  untouched.  It  is  chiefly  the  external 
act  which  they  prohibit :  the  disposition,  which 
is  doubtless  the  main  point,  they  do  not  alter. 
A  person,  influenced  by  these  principles  only,  may 
indulge,  to  any  extent,  an  unchaste  or  vindictive 
disposition,  though  considerations  of  convenience 
or  of  prudence  may  restrain  him  from  open  acts 
of  sin.  It  is  a  spurious  kind  of  goodness  which 
they  inculcate.  They  implant  no  right  disposition : 
they  often  allow  a  bad  one  to  remain,  though  they 
restrain  the  excesses  of  it.  They  produce  no  real 


72 


REGARD  TO  GOD 


preference  of  holiness ;  no  real  delight  in  the  will 
of  God  ;  no  real  hatred  of  sin.  They  do  not 
tend  to  form  a  clean  heart  and  renew  a  right 
spirit  within  us.  And,  moreover,  they  have  no 
respect  to  God.  They  may  all  subsist  without 
reverence  of  his  name;  without  any  serious 
worship  of  him;  without  faith;  without  love 
to  Christ ;  without  any  truly  Christian  motive. 
They  are  to  be  considered  rather  as  of  a  civil, 
than  a  religious,  nature.  The  end  they  propose 
is  selfish.  The  means  they  use,  and  the  motives 
they  inculcate,  are  of  a  worldly  kind  ;  implying 
no  sort  of  regard  to  God's  honour,  or  to  the 
accomplishment  of  his  purposes  in  the  creation 
of  man. 

It  is  evident,  therefore,  that  some  better  prin- 
ciple must  be  sought ;  some  principle  of  a  purer 
nature,  and  more  adequate  power.  It  must  be 
universal,  extending  to  the  prevention  of  sins  of 
every  kind  ;  inculcating  the  practice  of  virtues  of 
all  kinds  ;  not  compensating  for  the  want  of  one, 
by  the  practice  of  another  ;  not  being  scrupulous 
in  the  duties  we  owe  to  man,  while  it  allows  the 
neglect  of  what  is  due  to  God.  It  must  be  uni- 
form;  not  fluctuating  with  times  and  seasons ;  not 
cultivating  virtues  which  are  fashionable  or  gain- 
ful, and  being  ashamed  of  such  as  leave  us  in 
poverty  or  disgrace ;  but  steadily  persisting  in 
the  right  practice,  whether  met  by  the  frowns  or 
the  smiles  of  man.  It  must  be  pure;  not  follow- 
ing the  precepts  of  religion  for  the  sake  of  the 
advantages  attending  it,  or  declining  sin  on  ac- 
count of  the  miseries  which  follow  it,  but  culti- 
vating goodness  for  its  own  sake.  It  must  sanctify 


THE  GREAT  PRESERVATIVE  FROM  SIN.  73 

the  disposition  ;  not  only  enforcing  a  right  conduct, 
but  disposing  the  heart  to  follow  it ;  implanting 
not  only  a  sense  of  the  necessity  of  religion,  but 
a  love  of  it,  a  real  esteem  for  its  precepts,  a  con- 
viction of  their  intrinsic  excellence,  and  an  un- 
feigned attachment  to  them.  Such  must  be  the 
principle  engrafted  in  the  heart,  that  men  may 
bring  forth  fruit  to  God.  And  till  there  be  such 
a  principle,  however  others  may  restrain  from  sin, 
they  will  produce  only  an  imperfect  degree  of 
virtue,  leaving  the  heart  corrupt  even  where  the 
conduct  is  reformed  ;  and  producing  what  may 
perhaps  satisfy  imperfect  man,  but  can  never 
please  the  holy  God. 

How  excellent  was  the  principle  by  which 
Joseph  was  actuated  !  He  was  in  the  flower  of 
his  age,  the  season  when  the  passions  are  most 
impetuous.  His  mistress  was  the  tempter,  whose 
favour  or  displeasure  might  advance  or  ruin  his 
interests.  She  solicited  him  day  by  day.  He 
had  the  prospect,  not  only  of  secresy,  but  of  ad- 
vancement, if  he  complied ;  while  a  refusal  might 
be  attended  with  the  highest  danger.  Yet  against 
all  this  accumulated  force  of  temptation  did 
Joseph  stand  firm  !  By  the  power  of  what  prin- 
ciple ?  The  fear  of  God  was  before  his  eyes.  He 
could  not  do  that  wickedness,  and  sin  against 
God. 

The  fear  of  God,  which  Joseph  possessed,  is 
not  to  be  considered  as  a  mere  dread  of  his  pu- 
nishment of  sin  hereafter.  For  this,  like  the 
dread  of  its  evil  consequences  in  the  present  life, 
may  have  nothing  in  it  really  virtuous ;  may  be 
only  a  modification  of  self-love  ;  and  may  consist 


74 


REGARD  TO  GOD 


with  the  love  of  sin,  and  a  secret  wish  that  it  were 
possible  to  indulge  it.  But  the  true  fear  of  God, 
which  Joseph  discovered,  and  which  alone  pos- 
sesses the  qualities  which  we  have  enumerated 
as  necessary  to  a  real  principle  of  holiness,  is  a 
JiUal  fear ;  the  fear  which  a  son  feels  of  a  father 
whom  he  at  once  reveres  and  loves.  It  is  a  com- 
pound of  reverence  and  alfection.  Indeed,  the 
sentiments  of  a  dutiful  child  towards  a  dear  and 
venerable  parent,  may  afford  the  very  liveliest 
example  of  a  genuine  principle  of  holiness.  Such 
a  son  will  feel  a  reluctance  to  disobey  or  grieve 
his  parent.  He  will  see  the  propriety  of  consult- 
ing his  pleasure :  nay,  more,  he  will  feel  a  strong 
inclination  to  consult  it.  He  will  not  obey  him 
from  any  mere  motive  of  interest,  nor  yet  from  a 
mere  dread  of  his  displeasure  :  he  will  not  obey 
in  those  things  only  which  coincide  with  his  own 
inclination,  while  he  refuses  what  would  cost  him 
any  effort  of  self-denial  :  he  will  not  shew  reve- 
rence in  external  acts,  or  in  his  father's  presence, 
only  ;  but  there  will  be  in  him  a  steady,  prevailing 
principle  of  regard,  which  will  make  his  heart 
and  his  life  in  unison  with  each  other ;  which  will 
incline  him  to  his  duty  with  an  irresistible  force. 
His  inclination  will  prompt  him,  at  once,  to  obe- 
dience ;  nor  will  he  need  to  urge  himself  to  its 
performance  by  the  consideration  of  any  advan- 
tages to  be  derived  from  it. 

The  Gospel  of  Jesus  Christ  is  intended,  my 
brethren,  to  produce  the  genuine  principle  of 
obedience  to  God  in  our  hearts.  It  implants, 
whenever  it  is  duly  received,  at  once  a  reverence 
for  God  and  a  love  to  him ;  and  thus  causes  us  to 


THE  GREAT  PRESERVATIVE  FROM  SIN.  75 

abstain  from  sin,  not  merely  in  consideration  of 
the  particular  or  general  evils  of  it,  but  by  giving 
us  views  of  it  as  an  injury  done  to  God,  as  the 
thing  which  grieves  him,  as  an  act  of  rebellion 
against  his  authority,  and  an  insult  to  his  power. 
This  evidently  applies,  as  a  universal  principle, 
to  sin  of  every  kind ;  to  secret  as  well  as  open 
sins ;  to  sins  of  omission  as  well  as  commission ; 
to  the  disposition  and  the  desires,  as  well  as  to 
outward  acts  ;  to  those  that  are  esteemed  of  little 
consequence  by  the  world,  as  well  as  those  which 
they  reckon  scandalous. — By  the  introduction  of 
such  a  principle,  the  foundation  of  corruption 
will  be  cleansed.  The  bitter  waters  will  be  made 
sweet ;  a  clean  heart  will  be  given,  and  a  right 
spirit  renewed  within  us. 

It  is  evident  that  the  degree  of  obedience  thus 
produced  will  depend  upon  the  degree  of  reverence 
and  love  to  God  which  prevail  in  the  heart :  and, 
as  these  will  never  be  perfect  in  this  imperfect 
state,  the  obedience  itself  will  be  imperfect  also. 
But  it  will  still  be  sincere :  it  will  proceed  from 
the  heart ;  and ,  in  this  respect,  will  differ  from 
that  produced  by  any  of  the  false  principles  which 
I  have  exposed  in  this  discourse.  The  same  thing 
happens  in  the  obedience  of  a  son  towards  a 
parent  whom  he  esteems  and  loves.  Through  the 
frailty  of  human  nature,  and  the  imperfection  of 
our  best  qualities,  he  may  at  times  be  dilatory  in 
performing  acts  of  filial  duty ;  at  times  he  may 
be  too  much  occupied  with  his  own  concerns : 
sometimes,  in  smaller  matters,  he  may  even  act 
contrary  to  the  will  of  his  fatiier :  yet  still  there 
is  a  reality  in  his  love  ;  there  is  a  sincerity  in  his 


76 


REGARD  TO  GOD 


obedience ;  there  is  a  principle  totally  different 
from  that  of  an  hireling  servant,  who  consults 
nothing  but  his  interest  in  obeying  his  master, 
and 'from  mercenary  motives  alone  is  attentive 
not  to  displease  him. 

These  dispositions  of  reverence  and  love  to  God 
the  Gospel  produces,  by  impressing  the  under- 
standing through  His  word,  and  the  heart  through 
the  influence  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  with  suitable 
convictions  of  the  majesty  and  goodness  of  God. 

1.  Convictions  of  the  majesty  of  God. — The 
Scriptures  set  him  before  us ;  and  whenever  we 
are  inclined  to  receive  and  profit  by  the  declara- 
tions of  Scripture,  they  are  treasured  up  in  the 
heart,  and  make  a  deep  and  strong  impression 
there.    The  Scriptures,  I  say,  set  God  before  us, 
full  of  glory  and  greatness ;  as  every  where  pre- 
sent ;  as  knowing  all  things,  and  doing  all  things ; 
as  infinitely  wise  ;  as  the  author  of  all  good ;  as 
perfectly  just  and  supremely  holy.   Impressed  by 
such  representations,  the  Christian  fears  before 
him  with  deep  awe  and  holy  reverence.    "  Who 
shall  not  fear  thee,"  he  exclaims,     thou  King  of 
saints  ?    Worthy  art  thou  of  being  feared  and 
obeyed.    In  thy  presence  only  is  fulness  of  joy. 
Thy  smile  is  happiness :  thy  frown  is  death." 

2.  But  this  reverence  is  mixed  with  love,  by 
the  impressions  there  given  of  the  goodness  of  God. 
— The  gift  of  his  only-begotten  Son,  his  readiness 
to  pardon,  the  greatness  of  his  patience  and  for- 
bearance, the  care  of  his  providence,  the  proofs 
of  his  love  both  here  and  in  another  state ; — all 
these  represent  God  as  the  Father,  as  well  as  the 
Judge,  of  his  people ;  infinitely  amiable,  as  well 


THE  GREAT  PRESERVATIVE  FROM  SIN.  77 


as  greatly  to  be  feared."  Drawn  by  such  re- 
presentations, the  penitent  approaches  to  the 
Throne  of  Grace;  pleads  the  promises;  antici- 
pates the  mercy  of  God ;  ventures  to  trust  in 
him  ;  feels  increasing  confidence  in  proportion  to 
increasing  knowledge ;  adores  the  infinite  grace 
of  his  Heavenly  Father ;  believes,  loves ;  and  with 
enlarging  views  of  the  goodness  of  God  in  re- 
demption, increasing  faith,  and  devotion,  his  love 
to  him  and  his  reverence  for  him  increase  also — 
that  is,  he  obtains  juster  views  of  God's  attri- 
butes, and  these  produce  stronger  sensations  of 
love  towards  him,  which  will,  of  course,  lead  to 
increased  endeavours  to  please,  and  a  greater  fear 
to  offend,  his  Heavenly  Father.  How  can  I  do 
this  great  wickedness,  and  sin  against  God  !  This 
readily  suggests  itself  now,  as  an  answer  to  temp- 
tation, where  formerly  nothing  was  considered 
but  the  temporal  inconveniences  which  would 
follow  a  compliance  with  it. 

But  the  great  duty  in  which  this  knowledge  of 
God,  and  this  just  disposition  towards  him,  are 
obtained,  is  that  application  to  him  for  pardon 
through  Jesus  Christ  which  is  prescribed  in  the 
Gospel.— Man  naturally  neither  knows  nor  fears 
God;  and  he  too  often  remains  for  a  consider- 
able period,  if  not  the  whole  of  his  life,  without 
any  proper  acquaintance  with  him,  or  care  about 
him.  The  world  and  the  objects  of  sense,  in  ge- 
neral, engross  his  attention.  He  seeks  for  hap- 
piness in  these,  and  he  is  for  a  time  satisfied  with 
them.  He  takes  his  measure  of  sin  from  the 
standard  prevalent  in  the  world  ;  is  satisfied  with 
his  own  conduct,  and  does  not  conceive  that  God 


78 


REGARD  TO  GOD 


can  be  materially  displeased  with  it.    And  in  this 
state,  if  left  to  himself,  he  would  go  on  to  the 
day  of  his  death,  without  ever  thinking  seriously 
about  God,  or  truly  endeavouring  to  obtain  his 
favour.    But  God,  who  is  rich  in  mercy,  often 
interposes  to  prevent  us  from  continuing  in  this 
state  of  ignorance  and  sin.    He  disappoints  us 
in  our  worldly  expectations,  and  thus  practically 
convinces  us  that  the  world  is  a  less  valuable 
portion  than  we  imagined.    He  impresses  our 
minds  with  some  religious  subject.     He  turns 
our  attention,  by  some  awakening  providence,  or 
some  strong  conviction  of  sin,  to  the  state  of  our 
own  souls.  He  shews  us  that  we  are  not  so  blame- 
less as  we  thought  ourselves  to  be ;  and  puts  us 
upon  endeavouring  to  serve  God  in  a  better 
manner.  "When  a  man  is  thus  far  awakened,  and  is 
honest  and  faithful  to  his  conscience,  he  will  never 
rest  here.    He  will  see  the  infinite  importance  of 
the  subject  which  now  engages  his  attention ;  and 
his  sense  of  that  importance  will  cause  him  to 
devote  to  it  much  of  his  time  and  his  reflections. 
He  will  read  the  Scripture  therefore ;  become 
earnest  in  prayer ;  examine  himself  closely ;  cor- 
rect his  conduct ;  amend  his  whole  life  ;  and  la- 
bour, by  all  the  means  in  his  power,  to  become 
devoted  to  God.    And  now  it  is,  that,  for  the 
first  time,  he  will  be  properly  sensible  of  the 
depth  of  corruption  which  is  in  his  heart.  His 
first  religious  views  will  be  thus  of  a  painful 
kind.    They  will  not  immediately  give  him  peace 
and  hope  in  God.    They  may  distress  and  harass 
his  soul.    He  may  have  lost  the  quiet  which  he 
before  enjoyed,  and,  for  a  season,  obtain  no  other 


THE  GREAT  PRESERVATIVE  FROM  SIN.  79 

in  its  room.  But  let  him  not  be  discouraged : 
he  is  in  the  way  of  obtaining  solid  peace,  and  a 
hope  which  maketh  not  ashamed.  Let  him  per- 
severe in  reading  the  word  of  God,  in  prayer, 
and  in  attendance  upon  the  holy  ordinances  of 
God  ;  and  soon  the  glorious  plan  of  God's  mercy, 
in  saving  sinners  by  faith  in  Christ  Jesus,  will 
discover  itself  to  him ;  and  he  will  behold  such  a 
rich  display  of  grace  in  Christ,  that  he  will  be, 
at  once,  humbled  and  amazed, — filled  with  love 
and  with  praise  on  account  of  it.  He  will  see 
that  God  "  can  be  just,  and  yet  the  justifier  of 
him  which  believeth  in  Jesus."  He  will  have 
such  discoveries  as  will  embolden  him  to  rely 
upon  Christ,  with  a  confidence  which  nothing 
can  shake,  with  a  love  which  nothing  can  damp. 
And  now  he  obtains  the  true  principle  of  virtue, 
— the  filial  love  and  fear  of  God.  Now  the  foun- 
dation is  firmly  laid  of  future  obedience  to  him 
for  the  remainder  of  his  days.  He  has  now  learnt, 
by  experience,  the  goodness  of  God,  and  serves 
him  henceforward  in  newness  of  life ;  rejoicing  in 
his  Heavenly  Father,  and  devoting  himself  to  him 
with  the  most  perfect  regard.  » 

To  conclude  with  an  application  of  this  subject — 
1.  Let  it  put  us  upon  examining  by  what  prin- 
ciple we  are  influenced. — To  resolve  this  ques- 
tion, let  us  inquire,  Of  what  kind  is  our  obedi- 
ence ?  Is  it  principally  outward,  before  men  ?  Is 
it  partial  and  defective?  Is  it  uncertain  and 
fluctuating ;  depending  upon  times  and  seasons, 
upon  companions  and  opportunities  ?  If  so,  it 
is  to  be  feared  that  the  principle  from  which  it 


80 


REGARD  TO  GOD 


springs  is  not  pure.  The  true  principle  of  obe- 
dience powerfully  urges  to  obedience,  and,  with- 
out it,  an  unsteady  conduct  will  prove  continually 
that  the  heart  is  not  right  with  God. 

2.  Let  us  learn  from  this  subject  the  necessity 
of  being  reconciled  to  God,  in  order  to  possess  a 
right  principle  of  obedience. — By  nature  man  is 
alienated  from  God,  his  service,  and  his  pure 
and  holy  law.   Till  this  enmity,  which  prevails 
in  the  heart,  is  removed,  there  can  be  no  true 
principle  of  holiness.    To  remove  this,  contem- 
plate the  love  of  God  in  Christ ;  hear  how  God 
invites  you  to  return  to  him  :       God  was  in 
Christ  reconciling  the  world  to  himself,  not  im- 
puting their  trespasses  unto  them,  and  hath  com- 
mitted unto  us  (ministers)  the  word  of  reconcilia- 
tion.  Now,  then,  we  are  ambassadors  for  Christ ; 
as  though  God  did  beseech  you  by  us,  we  pray 
you,  in  Christ's  stead,  be  ye  reconciled  to  God. 
For  he  hath  made  him  to  be  sin  for  us,  who  knew 
no  sin,  that  we  might  be  made  the  righteousness 
of  God  in  him."    These  few  words  contain  the 
whole  of  what  is  necessary  to  produce  a  change 
of  heart.   God  is  willing  to  be  reconciled  to  thee, 
O  sinner  !    He  invites  thee  to  be  reconciled  to 
him.    He  has  removed  every  obstacle  in  the  way. 
He  has  made  his  only-begotten  Son,  who  knew 
no  sin,  to  be  a  sin-offering  for  you,  that  you  might 
be  made  the  righteousness  of  God  in  him.  Let 
this  love  of  God  produce  its  due  effect  on  your 
heart.    Reject  not  God's  gracious  offer.  Sur- 
render yourself  to  him.       Return  to  God,  for 
he  will  abundantly  pardon."     Study  his  cha- 
racter, and  you  will  find  it  to  be  full  of  goodness 


THE  GREAT  PRESERVATIVE  FROM  SIN.  81 

and  mercy.  To  know  God  is  to  love  him,  and 
to  love  him  is  to  obey  him. 

3.  And  ye  who  do  live,  in  a  measure,  under 
the  influence  of  the  fear  of  God,  seek  to  cultivate 
it.  Cultivate  it,  by  acquainting  yourselves  yet 
further  with  the  Gospel  of  Christ ;  in  which  is 
contained  every  thing  to  soften  the  hard  and  to 
cleanse  the  polluted  heart.  Set  God  always  be- 
fore you,  for  he  is  ever  present  with  you.  Ac- 
custom yourself  to  look  upon  him  as  your  Bene- 
factor, your  Deliverer,  your  Friend,  your  Father. 
Be  afraid  of  losing  his  favour.  In  his  favour  is 
life.  There  is  no  wretchedness  to  be  compared 
with  that  of  him  who  lives  without  God.  Habi- 
tuate your  mind  to  pure  motives.  Think  not 
merely  of  the  inconveniences  of  sin,  but  consider 
sin  as  the  greatest  evil,  because  it  separates  you 
from  God.  Act  from  this  principle  :  and  accus- 
tom yourself  to  reason  always  as  Joseph  here 
did  ;  How  can  I  do  this  great  wickedness,  and 
sin  against  God  1 " 


vol..  II. 


G 


82 


SERMON  VI. 

THE  WORK  OF  CHRIST. 


LUKE  iv.  18,  19. 

The  Spirit  of  the  Lord  is  upon  me,  because  he  hath 
anointed  me  to  preach  the  Gospel  to  the  poor :  he 
hath  sent  me  to  heal  the  broken-hearted,  to  preach 
deliverance  to  the  captives  and  recovering  of  sight 
to  the  blind,  to  set  at  liberty  them  that  are  bruised, 
to  preach  the  acceptable  year  of  the  Lord, 

These,  I  need  scarcely  say,  are  the  words  of 
the  prophet  Isaiah,  spoken  by  him  in  the  spirit 
of  prophecy,  concerning  the  office  of  the  Messiah, 
and  here  claimed  by  Christ  as  relating  to  himself, 
and  descriptive  of  his  own  work.  When  he  was 
at  Nazareth,  perhaps  for  the  first  time  after  he 
had  entered  on  his  mission,  he  went,  as  he  had 
done  in  other  cities,  into  the  synagogue  ;  and  the 
fame  of  his  preaching  and  miracles  having  gone 
before  him,  the  minister,  out  of  respect  or  cu- 
riosity, or  following  the  common  practice  on  such 
occasions,  invited  him  to  read  and  give  his  ex- 
hortation to  the  people.  And  there  was  deli- 
vered unto  him  the  book  of  the  Prophet  Esaias  ; 
and  when  he  had  opened  the  book,  he  found  "  (in 
the  sixty-first  chapter,  which  was  probably  the 
lesson  of  the  day)  the  place  where  it  was 
written,  The  Spirit  of  the  Lord  is  upon  me,  be- 


THE  WORK  OF  CHRIST. 


83 


cause  he  hath  anointed  me  to  preach  the  Gospel 
to  the  poor  :  he  hath  sent  me  to  heal  the  broken- 
hearted, to  preach  deliverance  to  the  captives 
and  recovery  of  sight  to  the  blind,  to  set  at  li- 
berty them  that  are  bruised,  to  preach  the  accept- 
able year  of  the  Lord.  And  he  closed  the  book, 
and  gave  it  again  to  the  minister,  and  sat  down," 
according  to  the  custom  among  the  Jews  in  teach- 
ing ;  whereas,  in  reading  the  Scripture,  they 
stood,  by  way  of  distinction  and  reverence.  And 
the  eyes  of  all  that  were  in  the  synagogue  were 
fastened  on  him.  And  he  began  to  say  unto  them. 
This  day  is  this  Scripture  fulfilled  in  your  ears." 
How  he  continued  his  discourse  we  are  not  in- 
formed ;  but  the  purport  of  it  is  evident  from  the 
opening.  It  shewed  the  office  in  which  he  him- 
self was  engaged,  to  be  the  very  same  with  that 
which  the  prophet  had  described ;  and  it  explain- 
ed the  gracious  nature  of  that  office,  for  we  are 
told  that  the  hearers  bare  him  witness  "  (as- 
senting probably  to  the  justice  of  his  claim  as  the 
Messiah),  and  wondered  at  the  gracious  words 
which  proceeded  out  of  his  mouth ; "  at  the  be- 
neficent nature  of  the  mission  which  was  repre- 
sented as  his  own. 

The  whole  of  our  Lord's  address  on  this  occa- 
sion would,  doubtless,  have  been  invaluable.  But 
though  we  are  not  gratified  with  this  discourse, 
yet,  from  his  other  sermons  upon  record,  from 
the  general  object  of  his  mission,  and  from  the 
discourses  and  writings  of  his  inspired  Apostles, 
we  may  collect,  at  least  in  substance,  what  he 
would  probably  say,  concerning  the  persons  here 
described y  and  the  gracious  office  of  their  Redeemer. 

G  2 


THE  WORK  OF  CHRIST. 


I.  Our  first  inquiry,  then,  shall  be  respecting 
the  character  or  circumstances  of  the  persons  de- 
scfnbed  in  my  text* 

It  seems  clear  that  this  whole  passage  is  meta- 
phorical ;  for,  allowing  that  a  literal  sense  may 
be  applied  to  parts  of  it  with  propriety,  yet 
there  are  other  parts  which  will  not  bear  that 
sense.  He  did,  indeed,  preach  the  Gospel  to 
those  who  were  literally  the  poor  of  the  world  ; 
and  gave  sight  to  those  who  were  naturally 
blind  :  yet  he  did  not  literally  open  the  doors  of 
prisons,  to  give  deliverance  to  captives ;  nor  did 
he  literally  demand  the  year  of  jubilee  for  his 
nation,  at  which  the  prophet  glanced  when  he 
spoke  of  the    acceptable  year  of  the  Lord." 

Assuming,  therefore,  a  metaphorical  significa- 
tion of  the  words,  we  must  consider  what  kind  of 
figurative  bondage,  or  blindness,  or  poverty,  cor- 
responds best  with  those  various  offices  of  mercy 
for  which  Messiah  came :  and  we  shall  be  at  no 
loss  to  discover  this,  when  we  reflect  that  He 
came  to  be  a  Saviour  from  sin;  and  that  the 
state  of  sinners  is  frequently  illustrated  in  Scrip- 
ture by  the  very  images  which  the  prophet  here 
employs. 

I  would  observe,  however,  that  the  various 
illustrations  here  used  appear  not  to  represent 
different  states  or  characters,  but  to  give  differ- 
ent views  of  the  same  moral  condition.  He  who, 
with  reference  to  the  power  of  his  sins,  is  called 
a  captive,  may,  with  respect  to  the  ignorance 
and  darkness  of  mind  which  his  sin  produces, 
be  considered  as  one  deprived  of  sight.  These 
images  serve  only  to  present,  under  different 


THE  WORK  OF  CHRIST. 


85 


aspects,  the  sad  state  of  those  whom  Christ  came 
to  deliver,  and  the  blessed  effects  of  that  deliver- 
ance. With  regard  to  these  persons,  they  seem 
to  describe  two  things ;  their  actual  condition,  and 
the  sense  which  they  themselves  entertain  of  it. 

1 .  Their  actual  condition  is  represented  as  very 
deplorable :  for  what  image  can  express  greater 
misery  than  that  of  captives  treated  with  the 
barbarous  rigour  of  those  times — immured  in  dun- 
geons ;  loaded  with  fetters  ;  bruised  with  stripes ; 
perhaps  like  Zedekiah,  the  unfortunate  king  of 
Judah,  deprived  of  sight  as  well  as  liberty  ?  Yet 
this  is  a  very  just  image  of  every  man's  con- 
dition, who  is  under  the  power  of  sin.  He  is  a 
slave  to  the  most  cruel  tyrant ;  a  prisoner  under 
the  most  awful  condemnation ;  a  captive,  tied  and 
bound  with  the  chain  of  his  sins;  To  drop  the 
metaphor — he  is  one  exposed  to  the  wrath  of  an 
offended  God,  continually  increasing  the  load 
of  his  guilt ;  the  sport  of  various  evil  passions, 
which  possess  and  harass  his  degraded  mind  ; 
having  his  understanding  depraved  by  sin ;  the 
dupe  of  Satan's  artifice,  and  the  victim  of  his 
power  and  malice ; — such,  in  short,  that,  if  he 
repent  not,  the  vengeance  of  Heaven  must  over- 
take, and  consign  him  to  eternal  punishment. 

2,  Yet  it  is  possible  that  there  may  be  this 
state  of  sin,  comprehending  all  these  awful  cir- 
cumstances of  misery  and  danger,  without  any 
concern  about  it,  or  even  any  distinct  perception 
of  it.  A  poor  captive  indeed,  confined  in  prison, 
cannot  well  be  insensible  to  the  misery  of  his 
condition,  nor  wholly  unconcerned  for  his  deli- 
verance ;  but  a  sinner,  whose  state  is  justly 


86 


THE  yVORK  OF  CHRIST. 


compared  to  his,  may  be  destitute  of  all  such 
feelings  ;  and  this  is,  in  fact,  the  case  with  the 
generality  of  sinners.  They  are  unconcerned 
about  their  sins.  They  are  not  afraid  of  God  s 
judgments.  They  see  little  or  nothing  to  be 
lamented  in  their  condition.    They  are  not  only 

wretched,  and  miserable,  and  poor,  and  blind, 
and  naked,"  but  morally  dead  withal :  quite  in- 
sensible to  the  misery  of  such  a  state. 

This,  however,  is  by  no  means  the  case  with 
the  persons  here  represented.  Images  are  used 
with  respect  to  them,  which  describe  their  mind 
as  deeply  touched  with  the  sense  of  their  un- 
happiness.  They  are  not  only  captives,  but  they 
are  broken-hearted  in  their  bondage.  The  good 
news  of  redemption  is  to  be  preached  to  them ; 
which  would  be  no  glad  tidings  to  those  who 
felt  not  the  weight  of  their  chains  :  the  year  of 
jubilee  is  to  be  proclaimed,  when  all  the  op- 
pressed were  set  free ;  which  would  be  most 
acceptable  to  those  who  were  most  sensible  of 
their  calamity. 

And  this  description  of  the  persons  who  shall  be 
benefited  by  the  salvation  of  Christ,  is  perfectly 
just,  and  corresponds  strictly  with  the  whole 
tenor  of  Scripture  on  the  subject.  They  are  re- 
presented in  Scripture  as  being  sensible  of  the 
misery  of  a  sinful  state,  and  desirous  to  be  freed 
from  it.  They  are  the  sick,'*  who  need  a 
physician;"  they  are  ''the  thirsty,"  who  are 
invited  to  *'  drink  of  the  water  of  life  ; "  *'  the 
weary,"  who  shall  enjoy  their  Saviour's  '*  rest." 
It  is  the  loficrwo;  soul  which  shall  be  satisfied, 
and  the  hungry  soul  which  shall  be  filled  with 


THE  WORK  OF  CHRIST. 


87 


goodness.  **  When  the  poor  and  needy  seek 
water,  and  there  is  none,  and  their  tongue  fail- 
eth  for  thirst,  then  the  Lord  will  hear  them,  and 
open  rivers  to  them  in  high  places."  Blessed 
are  they  that  hunger  and  thirst  after  righteous- 
ness,"  (it  is  written),     for  they  shall  be  filled." 

Whosoever  asketh,  receiveth ;  and  he  that 
seeketh,  findeth;  and  to  him  that  knocketh,  it 
shall  be  opened."  He  that  cometh  unto  me," 
saith  Christ,  I  will  in  no  wise  cast  out;"  and 
if  any  are  excluded,  it  is  because  they  will  not 
come"  to  him,     that  they  may  have  life." 

All  such  expressions  denote  the  true  Christian 
temper;  that  which  our  Lord  inculcated  under 
the  names  of  humility  and  poverty  of  spirit ;  and 
which  both  Christ  and  his  Apostles  meant  by 
the  more  significant  word  repentance."  It  in- 
cludes a  consciousness  of  demerit ;  a  due  sense 
of  the  evil  of  sin,  of  compunction  for  its  offence, 
and  of  shame  for  its  defilement ;  a  sincere  detes- 
tation of  it,  and  anxiety  to  be  delivered,  both 
from  its  guilt  and  from  its  power.  This  is  the 
disposition  supposed  in  my  text,  and  also  ex- 
plicitly required  in  the  New  Testament,  as  a 
necessary  preparative  for  faith  in  Christ,  and 
for  an  interest  in  his  salvation. 

This  frame  of  mind  may  comprehend  different 
degrees,  or  even  kinds,  of  uneasiness  on  account 
of  sin.  The  metaphors  which  are  here  used,  illus- 
trate these.  It  is  one  kind  of  distress  to  feel  the 
pressure  of  poverty  ;  it  is  another,  to  endure  the 
yoke  of  bondage;  and  a  third,  to  lose  the  organ 
of  sight.  So,  various  circumstances  produce  va- 
rious forms  and  shades  (if  I  may  so  call  them)  of 


88 


THE  WORK  OF  CHRIST. 


that  penitence  and  humiliation  for  sin  which  are 
here  required.  The  degree,  or  the  complexion, 
of  that  sorrow  which  men  feel  for  sin — their 
sense  of  unworthiness,  and  painful  apprehension 
on  account  of  it — does  not  depend  altogether 
upon  the  number  and  enormity  of  their  trans- 
gressions;  but  sometimes  upon  the  nature  of 
those  transgressions.  Some  are  more  defiling, 
and  cause  more  sensible  shame  ;  others  are  more 
criminal,  and  excite  greater  terror ;  others,  again, 
disqualify  for  virtues  or  duties,  and  produce  more 
of  depression.  It  depends  often  upon  greater  or 
less  sensibility  of  conscience ;  upon  higher  or 
lower  measures  of  knowledge ;  upon  tempers 
more  or  less  ingenuous ;  upon  admonitions  more 
or  less  impressive ;  upon  warmer  or  fainter  love 
of  God ;  upon  an  almost  endless  variety  of  acci- 
dents or  peculiarities,  which  will  always  diversify 
the  feeling  in  different  minds.  What  concerns  us 
most,  therefore,  is  the  reality  of  the  disposition. 
To  constitute  us  real  disciples  of  the  Saviour, 
our  repentance  must  be  true,"  our  humility 
genuine,  our  desire  of  holiness  unfeigned." 
They  must  be  such  as  the  metaphors  in  the  text 
will  fitly  and  fairly  illustrate. 

The  sum,  then,  of  what  we  learn  from  this,  and 
every  other  passage  of  Scripture,  concerning  the 
proper  character  of  the  objects  of  Christ's  salva- 
tion is,  that  humiliation,  repentance,  and  desire 
of  righteousness,  form  the  principal  features  of  it. 
I  put  them  together,  because  they  are  united  in 
fact.  We  may  view  them  separately,  if  we  please; 
but  as  they  exist  they  are  one  and  the  same  dis- 
position. He  who  is  truly  humble,  must  feel  the 


THE  WORK  OF  CHRIST. 


89 


evil  of  sin,  and  consequently  desire  holiness. 
He  who  repents,  must  of  course  be  humbled  for 
transgression,  and  must  hunger  and  thirst  after 
righteousness.  Viewing  it,  then,  as  one  dispo- 
sition, let  us  consider  that  to  which  it  is  opposed. 
And  what  is  this,  but  carelessness  about  trans- 
gression;  insensibility  to  guilt;  ''hardness  of 
heart,"  as  the  Scriptures  call  it  ?  This  excludes 
from  every  benefit  which  the  redemption  of  Christ 
can  confer ;  for  if  repentance  and  faith  be  neces- 
sary, then  the  disposition  in  which  they  can  have 
no  place  must  disqualify  for  salvation.  Let  those, 
then,  who  have  hitherto  been  careless  about  their 
sins ;  who  have  never  felt  them  a  burden  or  a 
defilement ;  who  have  been  satisfied  with  their 
condition,  and  have  not  even  wished  for  one 
more  perfect ;  O  let  them  seriously  consider,  that 
in  this  state  of  mind  they  are  not  even  objects  of 
the  salvation  of  Christ  1  Let  them  put  the  question 
to  their  own  consciences.  Can  I  hope  that  God 
has  sent  his  Son  to  save  the  careless  and  impe- 
nitent ?  Did  the  Redeemer  ever  intimate  that 
such  characters  were  the  objects  of  his  favour  ? 
Can  I,  for  a  moment,  suppose  that  he  prayed 
and  agonized  for  such  as  should  refuse  to  pray  for 
themselves  ;  or  bore  the  heavy  punishment  of  sin, 
that  they  might  continue  to  indulge  in  it ;  or  led  his 
pure  and  holy  life,  that  they  might  spend  theirs 
in  thoughtlessness  and  folly  ?  Is  it  unreasonable, 
if  God  requires  a  disposition  prepared  for  mercy 
before  he  shews  mercy  ?  Is  it  not  just  that  the 
moral  Governor  of  the  world  should  demand  a 
suitable  acknowledgment  of  transgression,  a 
proper  sorrow  for  our  offence,  and  that  change  of 


90 


THE  WORK  OF  CHllIST. 


heart  and  conduct  without  which  such  acknow- 
ledgments are  vain  ?  Surely  it  cannot  be  ima- 
gined that  men's  carelessness  about  Divine  things 
is  any  excuse  for  their  neglect  of  them  ?  It  is 
rather  an  aggravation  of  their  sin :  for  it  arises 
from  want  of  reverence  for  God,  and  of  regard  to 
his  commandments,  which  is  in  itself  a  most 
criminal  disposition.  It  cannot  be  supposed 
that  a  fair  character,  and  mere  estimation  with 
our  fellow- creatures,  will  be  enough  to  satisfy  the 
holy  God,  or  will  be  all  that  he  requires.  If  so, 
what  need  of  the  incarnation  of  the  Son  of  God  ; 
of  his  cross  and  passion  ;  of  the  whole  dispensa- 
tion of  the  Gospel ;  or  of  any  such  thing  as 
holiness  ? 

But  give  me  leave,  in  a  point  of  so  much  con- 
sequence, to  address  myself  immediately  to  your- 
selves. Amongst  those  who  hear  me,  are  doubtless 
many  young  persons,  gay  and  thoughtless  ;  many 
of  a  more  advanced  age,  immersed  in  worldly 
cares  ;  who  yet  agree  in  this  point,  that  they  have 
little  real  concern  about  the  state  of  their  souls, 
little  uneasiness  about  their  sins,  or  desire  to 
lead  a  truly  religious  life.  You  all  hope  to  be 
saved  ;  but  I  entreat  you  to  consider  seriously 
what  kind  of  persons  are  the  objects  of  salvation. 
Will  all,  of  all  descriptions  and  dispositions,  be 
saved  ?  If  not,  there  must  be  some  discrimina- 
tion of  character,  with  the  nature  of  which  you 
ought  to  be  acquainted.  Search,  then,  the  Scrip- 
tures, that  you  may  be  able  to  draw  this  line  for 
yourselves.  See  there  whether  Christianity  does 
not  require  a  state  of  mind,  with  respect  to  re- 
ligion, the  very  reverse  of  what  you  possess.  If 


THE  WORK  OF  CHRIST. 


91 


you  can  find  that  Christ  has  given  a  warrant  to 
his  disciples  for  negligence,  dissipation,  and  sin, 
then  use  the  liberty  which  he  has  given  you:  but 
if  he  came  to  save  those  only  who  repent,  whose 
hearts  are  contrite,  who  hunger  and  thirst  after 
righteousness ;  then,  I  beseech  you,  rest  not 
satisfied  with  your  state  till  you  know  that  you 
possess  that  character  which  will  stamp  you  for 
a  real  Christian. 

II.  Blessed  be  God,  however,  there  are  some 
who  know  their  unworthiness,  and  are  humbled 
on  account  of  it.  These  are  the  persons  intended 
in  my  text,  and  such  will  gladly  hear  the  second 
point  we  were  to  consider ;  namely,  the  gracious 
office  which  the  Redeeme?'  sustains  to  save  them. 

This  office  is  here  delineated  under  several 
views.  Is  the  state  of  sinners  described  as  a 
state  of  great  suffering  ?  Christ  brings  them 
deliverance.  As  a  state  of  bondage  ?  He  grants 
them  liberty.  Under  the  image  of  a  broken 
heart  ?  He  communicates  peace  and  consolation. 
Or  under  that  of  poverty  ?  He  tells  them  of  re- 
covered birth-rights,  and  of  a  glorious  inherit- 
ance above.  Divested  of  metaphor,  the  office  of 
Christ  is  to  expiate  guilt;  to  deliver  from  the 
power  of  sin  ;  to  impart  peace  ;  and  to  bestow  a 
title  to  the  kingdom  of  heaven  on  all  who  are  of 
the  character  described  in  my  text. — Let  us 
briefly  consider  these  several  offices. 

1.  Christ  takes  away  the  sin  of  those  who  truly 
repent  and  apply  to  him  by  faith.  For  he  offered 
himself  a  victim  to  the  justice  of  the  Divine  law. 
He  made,  by  his  one  oblation  of  himself  on  the 


92 


THE  WORK  OF  CHRIST. 


cross,  once  oflFered,  a  full,  perfect,  and  sufficient 
sacrifice  for  the  sins  of  the  whole  world.  This 
sacrifice  has  been  accepted  by  the  Father,  and 
the  benefit  of  it  is  transferred  to  all  those  who 
repent  and  beliere  the  Gospel.  They  are  no 
longer  captives,  deuoned  legally  or  irreclaimably 
in  bonds :  **  The  prey  is  taken  from  the  mighty ; 
the  lawful  captive  is  delivered.*'  The  ransom  is 
paid,  and  the  price  of  redemption  accepted  in 
heaven. 

2.  They  are  freed  also  firom  the  power  of  sin. — 
And  this  not  merely  by  the  stronger  motives  to 
holiness  which  are  proposed  in  the  Gospel,  or  the 
more  awful  sanctions  of  the  Divine  law  which 
Christ  has  set  before  us,  but  by  the  positive  help, 
which  he  communicates  throu^  his  Spirit,  to  all 
who  believe  on  him.  This  is  one  of  the  distin- 
gniqhing  excellences  of  the  Christian  dispensa- 
tion. It  not  only  forbids  transgression,  but  as- 
sists and  enables  men  to  abstain  from  it.  This 
shall  be  the  covenant  which  I  will  make  with  the 
house  of  Israel,  after  those  days,  saith  the  Lord ; 
I  will  put  my  laws  in  their  hearts,  and  in  their 
minds  will  I  write  them  :  and  I  will  be  to  them 
a  God,  and  they  shall  be  to  me  a  people.'' 

3.  It  is  the  office  of  the  Saviour  to  impart  peace 
to  the  soul. — And  shall  there  not  be  peace,  when 
the  hope  of  pardon  is  granted,  and  when  those 
corruptions,  which  are  the  bane  of  tranquillity, 
are  restrained  ?  Shall  there  not  be  peace,  when 
the  treasures  of  infinite  love  are  opened  to  the 
soul,  and  it  is  recognised  as  a  faithfiil  sabring, 

that  God  so  loved  the  world,  as  to  give  his 
only-begotten  Son,  that  whosoeYer  beUeveth  in 


THE  WORK  OF  CHRIST. 


93 


him  should  have  eternal  life  ? "    Shall  there  not 
be  peace  in  the  breast  which  feels  the  force  of 
this  inference,  **  He  that  spared  not  his  own  Son, 
how  shall  he  not  with  him  also  freely  give  us  all 
things  ? "    Shall  there  not  be  peace,  when  the 
conscience  is  at  peace,  when  the  passions  are  at 
peace,  when  the  Gospel  speaks  peace,  when  God 
confirms  peace  to  the  soul  ?    The  Gospel  is  the 
ministration  of  peace.    Peace  is  the  legacy  of 
Christ  to  his  church.      Peace  I  leave  with  you : 
My  peace  I  give  unto  you."       And  the  peace  of 
God,  which  passeth  all  understanding,  shall  keep 
the  hearts  and  minds"  of  his  people,  through 
Jesus  Christ. 

4.  The  title  to  a  glorious  inheritance  is  also 
conferred  by  him  upon  those  that  believe. — As, 
in  the  year  of  jubilee,  every  inheritance  which 
had  been  sold  reverted  to  its  original  owners  ;  as 
every  debt  was  cancelled,  and  every  captive  set 
free  ;  so  that  then  there  was  an  end  of  bondage 
and  poverty,  of  distress  and  disorder,  and  a  new 
civil  sera  commenced ; — in  the  same  way  does  the 
Gospel  proclaim  a  jubilee  to  repenting  sinners. 
It  institutes  a  new  order  of  things  for  them  ;  with 
new  resources,  and  hopes,  and  privileges,  and 
prospects;  with  deliverance  from  the  thraldom 
in  which  they  were  involved  ;  release  from  all 
debts  which  they  had  contracted ;  recovery  of  all 
rights  which  they  had  alienated  ;  and  restoration 
to  their  franchises  and  honours  in  heaven.  Their 
sins  are  pardoned ;  their  nature  is  renewed ;  their 
hearts  are  sanctified  ;  they  are  restored  to  all 
which  they  had  lost  by  the  transgression  of  their 
first  parent.    Having  been  slaves,  they  are  be- 


94 


THE  WORK  OF  CHRIST. 


come  sons.  Having  lived  long  as  aliens  and 
strangers,"  they  are  now  made  fellow-citizens 
with  the  saints,  and  of  the  household  of  God." 

Thus  we  see  that  Christ  came  upon  earth  to 
confer  various  important  blessings  upon  mankind ; 
but  our  title  to  these  blessing  depends  upon  our 
possessing  the  character  to  which  they  are  appro- 
priated ;  and  our  enjoyment  of  them,  upon  our 
embracing  by  faith  that  Gospel  which  is  the  me- 
dium by  which  they  are  communicated.    We  see, 
therefore,  again,  the  evil  of  a  careless  disposi- 
tion.   It  prevents  attention  to  that  Gospel,  by  the 
knowledge  and  realising  apprehension  of  which 
those  blessings  are  conferred.    At  this  season, 
then,  in  which  we  celebrate  the  incarnation  of  the 
Son  of  God,  and  meditate  upon  the  hope  set  be- 
fore us,  let  us  pay  particular  attention  to  this 
point.    Let  us  see  that  we  have  that  humble, 
penitent  disposition  which  the  Gospel  requires. 
Let  us  learn  to  be  thankful  to  God  for  his  inesti- 
mable gift :  thankful,  from  the  experience  of  its 
value,  from  the  enjoyment  of  the  freedom,  peace, 
and  hope  which  it  communicates.    These  bless- 
ings are  of  the  most  valuable  kind  ;  they  deserve 
the  highest  return  of  praise  :  they  are  a  gift  worthy 
of  God,  who  bestowed,  and  of  the  astonishing 
means  which  were  devised  to  convey  them.  But 
take  these  away,  and  the  glory  of  the  Gospel  is 
departed.    It  sinks  down  to  a  mere  system  of 
ethics.    It  no  longer  answers  to  the  title  which 
it  bears  ;     glad  tidings  of  great  joy."    The  cha- 
racteristic title  of     Saviour  "  becomes  an  empty 
name ;  and  the  whole  system  becomes  little  better 


THE  WORK  OF  CHRIST. 


95 


than  a  modification  of  philosophy  ;  a  set  of  pure 
rules  and  decent  ceremonies  alone.  But  we  have 
not  so  learned  Christ. 

I  recommend,  in  a  particular  manner,  the  con- 
sideration of  this  subject  to  those  persons,  and  I 
believe  they  are  not  a  few,  who  are  in  some  de- 
gree persuaded  of  their  guilt  and  unworthiness, 
but  who  rest  in  that  persuasion,  without  taking 
any  steps,  at  least  any  proper  steps,  to  remove 
them.  I  say,  without  taking  proper  steps ;  for 
there  is  an  infinite  variety  of  methods  to  which 
our  minds  will  have  recourse  when  the  conscience 
is  oppressed  with  guilt.  I  do  not  merely  speak 
of  listening  to  the  suggestions  of  infidelity  ;  of 
fleeing  for  refuge  to  dissipation  or  to  vice;  of 
studiously  banishing  serious  thought  upon  the 
subject.  These  are  the  resources  of  the  disin- 
genuous, and  of  the  hardened  sinner.  But  I 
speak  rather  of  the  palliatives  which  many  are 
disposed  to  apply, — remedies  short  of  that  which 
alone  is  complete  and  satisfactory.  Such  persons 
will  acknowledge  their  guilt,  but  they  flatter 
themselves  that  it  may  be  less  than  their  fears 
represent  it.  They  are  not  quite  sure  that  they 
have  not  proposed  an  unnecessary  degree  of 
strictness  :  they  think  that  God  may  prove  more 
merciful  than  He  is  represented  in  the  Scrip- 
tures ;  or  they  depend  on  good  qualities  to  re- 
deem bad  actions,  and  are  disposed  to  think 
their  own  both  numerous  and  valuable.  They 
promise  yet  greater  amendment,  and  a  higher 
degree  of  purity  hereafter ;  and  thus,  in  any  or 
all  of  these  ways,  they  seek  to  obtain  a  peace 
which,  at  the  best,  is  but  short-lived  and  deceit- 


96 


THE  WORK  OF  GHKIST. 


ful,  and  which  will  fail  those  who  trust  to  it  when 
they  need  it  most.  Believe  me,  my  brethren, 
there  is  no  solid  peace  to  be  found,  but  in  a 
sincere  and  faithful  application  to  the  Saviour. 
Extenuation  of  guilt,  or  confidence  in  our  own 
power  of  amendment,  will  but  increase  the  evil. 
Dismiss  such  vain  expectations.  Come  at  once 
to  Christ,  as  guilty  and  miserable  sinners ;  con- 
fess to  him  your  sin,  and  implore  from  him  grace 
to  know  it  better.  Give  up  all  subterfuges,  and 
place  your  whole  trust  in  the  Saviour  of  sinners. 
In  his  promises,  and  in  his  intercession,  you  may 
find  solid  peace.  And  be  persuaded,  in  applying 
to  him,  that  it  is  his  whole  yoke  which  you  must 
take  upon  you  ;  that  all  partial  reformation  will 
be  useless :  you  must  become  his  disciples  in 
spirit  and  in  truth ;  nor  can  you  enjoy  any  solid 
peace  till  this  is  the  case. 

But  when  once  the  heart,  abandoning  its  re- 
fuges of  vanity  and  lies,  is  disposed  cordially  to 
embrace  the  Gospel  salvation,  and  to  surrender 
itself  wholly  to  Christ,  then  the  promises  of  my 
text  will  be  found  true  in  their  fullest  extent. 
The  broken-hearted  will  be  healed,  deliverance 
will  be  granted  to  the  captives,  and  a  jubilee 
proclaimed  to  the  destitute  and  hopeless.  Then 
the  benefits  of  this  salvation  will  be  clearly 
known ;  and  they  will  be  found  to  be  worthy  of 
all  which  has  been  done  to  procure  them. 

May  we  thus  yield  ourselves  to  God  in  Christ, 
that  we  may  enjoy  these  benefits  in  time  and 
through  all  eternity !  Amen. 


97 


SERMON  VII. 

THE  DUTY  OF  GLORIFYING  GOD. 


1  coil.  X.  31. 

Whether,  therefore,  ye  eat  or  drink,  or  whatsoever 
ye  do,  do  all  to  the  glory  of  God. 

One  great  object  of  religion  is  to  bring  men  to 
a  sense  of  the  duty  which  they  owe  to  God.  It 
is  declared  of  the  unregenerate  (as  distinguished 
from  the  righteous),  that  God  is  not  in  all  their 
thoughts  ;  "  that  they  have  no  fear  of  God  before 
their  eyes that  they  are  "  without  God  in  the 
world  ;"  that  they  are  "  lovers  of  pleasure  more 
than  lovers  of  God."  On  the  contrary,  real 
Christians  are  described  as  living  no  longer  to 
themselves,  but  unto  God ;  as  serving,  fearing, 
and  loving  God  ;  as  putting  their  trust  in  him  ; 
and  as  doing  every  thing  to  his  glory. 

The  precept,  therefore,  which  is  given  in  my 
text,  is  not  to  be  viewed  as  a  mere  command  to 
practise  any  particular  branch  of  virtue,  but 
rather  as  an  exhortation  to  adopt  and  employ 
that  general  principle  of  true  religion  which  will 
not  only  direct  to  all  virtue,  but  sanctify  even 
the  common  actions  of  life. 

Let  us,  therefore,  inquire  into  the  general  na- 
ture of  this  principle  ;  and  then  endeavour  to  elu- 

VOL.  II.  H 


98  THE  DUTY  OF  GLORIFYING  GOD. 

cidate  its  operation,  by  tracing  its  influence  upon 
our  ordinary  conduct. 

I.  To  understand  the  nature  of  the  principle 
which  St.  Paul  here  inculcates,  we  should  ob- 
serve the  cases  before  him,  in  the  context,  from 
which  he  takes  occasion  to  prescribe  this  general 
rule. 

This  chapter  contains  advice  upon  three  parti- 
cular cases  of  conscience.  The  first  respects  the 
lawfulness  of  assisting  at  idolatrous  feasts ;  such 
as  were  held  in  pagan  temples,  and  in  honour  of 
the  pagan  worship.  Of  these  entertainments 
some  Christians,  it  appears,  who  were  less  care- 
ful to  please  God  than  to  gratify  their  worldly 
connexions,  condescended  to  partake,  and  justi- 
fied their  conduct  by  an  argument  of  this  kind  : 
That  an  idol  was,  in  fact,  nothing  ;  that  it  was  a 
deity  of  mere  imagination ;  and  that,  therefore, 
what  was  offered  in  sacrifice  to  idols  had  nothing 
in  it  which  could  pollute  ;  that  it  could  have 
contracted  no  defilement  by  this  use,  nor  be  at 
all  less  proper  for  food  than  flesh  which  had  not 
been  sacrificed.  To  this  the  Apostle  replies. 
That  certainly  an  idol  was  nothing ;  yet  still, 
since  the  principle  upon  which  idolatrous  sacri- 
fices were  offered  was  the  worship  of  false  gods, 
or,  as  he  might  more  fitly  call  it,  of  devils,  he  could 
say  no  less  of  the  compliance  than  that  it  was 
**  holding  fellowship  with  devils;"  and,  there- 
fore, absolutely  unlawful.  "  Ye  cannot  be  par- 
takers of  the  Lord's  table,  and  of  the  table  of 
devils."     Do  we  provoke  the  Lord  to  jealousy  ?" 

The  second  case  was  that  of  buying  such  flesh 


THE   DUTY  OF  GLORIFYING  GOD.  99 

in  the  market ;  for,  whatever  part  of  the  animal 
was  not  consumed  on  the  altar,  or  distributed  for 
presents  and  entertainments,  was  exposed  pub- 
licly to  sale.    And  to  this  the  Apostle  gives  his 
decided  sanction.       Whatsoever  is  sold  in  the 
shambles,  that  eat,  asking  no  question  for  con- 
science sake."  Being  designed  for  common  food, 
it  is  not  liable^  to  the  same  objection  with  what 
is  appropriated  to  idolatrous  feasting:  for  the 
offence  does  not  consist  in  eating  what  was  slain 
for  sacrifice,  but  in  eating  of  it  on  such  occa- 
sions, where  it  is  scandalously  abused  to  the 
dishonour  of  him  who  gave  it.    The  other  is  its 
legitimate  and  appointed  use.     Eat,  therefore, 
without  inquiry  and  without  scruple  ;     for  the 
earth  is  the  Lord's,  and  the  fulness  thereof."  He 
gave  cattle  for  the  use  of  man ;  nothing  can  annul 
his  grant  to  you,  but  your  own  wilful  perversion 
of  it. 

The  third  case  respected  the  propriety  of  eating 
these  same  meats  at  the  table  of  an  heathen  ac- 
quaintance :  and  this  is  resolved  like  the  last. 
Being  invited  as  to  a  common  meal,  you  are  in 
general  to  partake  of  it  as  such,  without  either 
uneasiness  or  remark.     Whatsoever  is  set  before 
you,  eat,  asking  no  question   for  conscience 
sake."    But  are  you  officiously  told  that  it  is  a 
portion  of  the  sacrifice?  or  would  a  weak  bro- 
ther, who  regards  it  as  defiled,  consider  God  as 
dishonoured  by  your  participation  of  it  ?  Then 
abstain,  on  both  these  accounts  :  ''for  his  sake 
that  shewed  it ; "  to  satisfy  your  informer  that  you 
give  no  countenance  to  such  things;— and  also 
'*  for  conscience  sake  ;"  for  the  sake  of  his  con- 

H  2 


100       .    THE  DUTY  or  GLORIFYIXG  GOD. 

science,  who  may  be  wounded,  or  scandalized, 
or  ensnared,  by  your  connivance.  It  might  be 
lawful  for  you  ;  but  things  lawful  are  not  always 
expedient.  It  might  be  lawful ;  but  it  would  not 
edify.  Disregard  not,  then,  the  edification  of 
your  brother  :  respect  his  weakness.  Deem  it  a 
sufficient  reason  for  your  abstinence,  that  you 
might  otherwise  grieve  him,  or  incur  the  risk  of 
corrupting  his  integrity,  by  warranting  what  he 
esteems  a  crime.  The  principle,  therefore,  is  the 
same,  whether  you  eat,  or  whether,  under  these 
or  any  other  peculiar  circumstances,  you  abstain. 
In  both,  you  shew  a  respect  to  God :  in  the  one, 
by  enjoying  his  bounty  with  thankfulness,  as  he 
designed ;  in  the  other,  by  giving  proof  of  your  sin- 
cerity in  his  service,  and  by  respecting  even  that 
scrupulosity  in  your  brethren  which  arises  from 
their  reverence  for  him.  This  leads  to  the  gene- 
ral conclusion — not  only  in  these  cases  but  in  all 
others — Whether  ye  eat  or  drink,"  or  abstain 
from  either ;  in  a  word,  "  whatsoever  ye  do,  do 
all  to  the  glory  of  God." 

We  see,  then,  that  the  principle  here  incul- 
cated is  of  the  soundest,  most  enlightened,  and 
vigilant  kind  :  sound,  as  forbidding  strictly  what- 
ever is  really  an  offence ;  enlightened,  as  it  dis- 
criminates what  is  sinful  from  w^hat  only  seems 
so  to  be ;  and  watchful,  in  attending  not  merely 
to  an  action  as  it  stands  alone,  but  even  to  those 
possible  effects  of  it  which  might  bring  dishonour 
to  God.  What  is  wrong  in  itself  is  not  allowed 
on  any  plea  of  convenience,  or  in  consideration 
of  circumstances  which  may  seem  to  palliate  the 
evil;  but  it  is  to  be  rejected  absolutely,  and 


THE  DUTY  OF  GLORIFYING  GOD.  101 

without  reserve.  What  is  blameable  only  on  ac- 
count of  mischiefs  which  it  may  incidentally 
produce,  needs  not  to  be  too  scrupulously  avoid- 
ed, when  it  can  have  no  such  consequence  ;  and 
yet  a  probability  that  such  effects  may  follow,  is 
to  be  considered  as  bringing  actions  the  most 
indifferent  within  the  catalogue  of  sins.  The 
great  rule  of  our  life  must  be,  regard  to  God's 
honour  :  and  this  rule  must  be  applied  on  occa- 
sions when  we  perhaps  think  little  of  responsibi- 
lity. Whether  ye  eat  or  drink,  or  whatsoever 
ye  do,"  says  the  Apostle,  *'  do  all  to  the  glory  of 
God."  This  is  the  end  which  he  proposes  for  all 
our  actions.  There  are  different  ends,  which  we 
may  propose  to  ourselves,  or  others  may  propose 
to  us.  There  are  uses  of  all  his  gifts,  which  he 
himself  prescribes.  There  are  contrary  uses,  to 
which  we,  or  others,  may  pervert  them.  Our 
conduct,  though  in  itself  blameless,  may  still  be 
dishonourable  to  Him,  from  the  light  in  which 
others  may  view  it,  and  the  ill  effect  it  may  have 
on  their  minds.  But  in  all  such  cases,  what  dis- 
honours, or  seems  likely  to  dishonour,  Him,  is  to 
be  avoided  as  sin  :  what  promotes,  or  bids  fair  to 
promote.  His  glory,  must  be  deemed  of  strict 
obligation. 

II.  Having  thus  examined  the  nature  ot  the 
principle,  let  us  proceed  to  shew  its  operation  in 
sanctifying  the  common  actions  of  life. 

It  is  not  often  that  the  best  of  men  have  a  due 
sense  of  the  value  of  Christian  principle,  in  this 
point  of  view.  And  as  to  the  world  at  large,  they 
can  scarcely  understand  the  application  of  it. 


102  TH£  DUTY  OF  GLORIFVlNG  GOD. 

With  them,  religion  is  confined  to  acts  of  wor- 
ship;  morality  is  the  principle  of  our  duty  to 
man ;  and  interest,  inclination,  custom,  conveni- 
ence, are  to  direct  the  vast  variety  of  human 
actions  v^hich  are  less  perfectly  oif  the  moral 
kind.  Thus,  in  all  the  ordinary  conduct  of  their 
lives — in  their  business  and  their  amusements  ;  in 
the  connexions  they  form,  and  the  society  they 
frequent ;  in  the  use  of  their  time,  their  influence, 
their  fortune,  or  their  talents ;  in  the  management 
of  their  families ;  in  their  habits  of  personal  indul- 
gence ;  in  their  common  discourse ;  in  their  ge- 
neral bearing  and  behaviour — they  live  altogether 
v^ithout  regard  to  God.  Of  any  end  besides 
their  own  gratification  ;  of  any  controul,  but  from 
themselves  or  the  world  ;  of  any  duties,  except 
decency  and  discretion,  they  have  no  thought : 
and  if  the  glory  of  God  be  adverted  to,  they  do 
not  understand  how  it  is  to  be  made  the  object 
of  their  concern.  There  are,  perhaps,  few  more 
fatal  mistakes,  than  to  suppose  that  God  is  glori- 
fied only  by  expressions  of  reverence,  or  acts  of 
worship.  We  glorify  him  just  as  truly,  when, 
through  the  whole  progress  of  ordinary  life,  we 
keep  his  designs,  his  honour,  his  cause,  in  view, 
as  we  keep  in  view  our  own  interest,  or  the  re- 
putation and  wishes  of  a  respected  parent ;  when, 
instead  of  counteracting,  affronting,  or  injuring 
him,  we  do  him  homage  and  service  as  we  have 
occasion,  and  make  it,  generally,  our  object  to 
please  him.  Such  a  principle  will  sanctify  our 
whole  conduct.  It  will  set  a  sacred  stamp  of 
sanctity  and  honour  even  on  little  things.  In  the 
bold  imagery  of  the  Prophet  Zechariah,  there 


THE  DUTY  OF  GLORIFYING  GOD. 


103 


shall  be  upon  the  bells  of  the  horses.  Holiness  to 
the  Lord."  What  is  meanest  and  most  insigni- 
ficant, shall  have  its  use  in  his  service,  and  enjoy 
the  full  privilege  of  a  consecration. 

But  let  us  take  a  particular  instance  or  two. — 
Take,  1st,  the  duties  of  any  humble  and  laborious 
calling — of  an  husbandman,  of  a  mechanic,  of 
a  servant,  of  one  who  must  labour  for  a  subsist- 
ence, and  whose  whole  time  is  occupied  in  the 
work  of  his  vocation.  If  a  man  submits  to  this 
lot  as  a  mere  act  of  necessity  ;  if  he  goes  through 
his  toil  with  cheerfulness,  because  he  thus  sup- 
plies his  wants,  or  procures  his  humble  comforts, 
or  hopes,  one  day,  to  improve  his  condition  ; 
though  he  may  be  acting  well  and  wisely,  in 
some  points  of  view,  he  does  nothing  to  the 
glory  of  God.  But  suppose  that  he  thus  reflects 
on  his  condition,  and  that  he  habituates  himself 
to  act  from  such  considerations  as  these :  1  am 
poor  indeed,  and  must  labour  that  I  may  live  : 
but  who  has  placed  me  in  this  situation  ?  Was  it 
not  God,  who  made  us  all,  and  who  ordains  for 
each  of  us  what  he  thinks  fit ;  making  some  poor 
and  some  rich;  dispensing  health  and  strength  to 
some,  and  sickness  or  infirmity  to  others  ;  be- 
stowing on  some  great  parts  and  great  advantages, 
while  he  affords  to  others  only  a  narrow  under- 
standing and  scanty  means  of  improvement? 
What  though  I  am  doomed  to  labour — is  it  not 
the  common  doom  ?  Has  not  God  ordained  that 
man  shall  eat  bread  in  the  sweat  of  his  brow  ?  Is 
it  not,  in  the  present  state  of  things,  the  neces- 
sary condition  of  the  greater  part  of  mankind  ? 
And,  as  he  has  appointed  this  lot  for  me,  am  I 


104  THE  DUTY  OF  GLORIFYING  GOD. 

not  doing  his  will  when  engaged  in  my  daily  oc- 
cupations, as  much  as  one  who,  with  more  leisure, 
is  mo»'c  constantly  engaged  in  attendance  upon 
his  worship  ?  I  will  therefore  go  to  my  labour 
cheerfully :  I  will  pursue  it  diligently,  as  God's 
appointment:  I  will  consider  this  as  my  place  in 
the  great  family  of  his  creatures,  and  endeavour  to 
serve  him  in  it ;  doing  the  duties  of  my  station 
with  a  humble,  thankful,  devoted  mind ;  honour- 
ing him  before  men  by  its  appropriate  virtues  ; 
looking  to  him  for  my  support ;  thanking  him  for 
my  success  ;  acting  always  under  his  eye,  and 
as  bound  to  consult  his  pleasure."  Such  views 
would  consecrate  the  labours  of  the  day.  Thus 
would  a  mail  be  glorifying  God,  not  only  on  the 
Sabbath,  but  throughout  the  whole  week  ;  not 
only  while  he  bowed  his  knee  in  prayer,  but 
while  he  was  occupied  in  the  common  business 
of  his  calling.  Let  it  be  well  observed,  however, 
that  it  is  not  by  his  diligence  or  his  cheerfulness, 
considered  in  themselves,  that  he  thus  gives  glory 
to  God  ;  but  by  this  diligence  and  cheerfulness 
as  they  spring  from  true  religious  principle  ;  from 
a  regard  to  the  great  Master  who  has  assigned 
him  his  place,  and  prescribed  his  duties  in  the 
world. 

But  there  may  be  a  question  of  some  im- 
portance here.  Are  these  reflections  to  be  conti- 
nually passing  in  the  mind  ?  Or,  is  nothing  done 
to  the  glory  of  God,  when  we  do  not  place  it  thus 
distinctly  before  us,  as  our  express  and  particular 
object  ?  I  answer,  when  the  principle  exists  and 
thrives,  such  reflections  will  of  course  be  fre- 
quently occurring.    Under  the  influence  of  that 


THE  DUTY  OF  GLORIFYING  GOD.  105 


Spirit,  without  whom  nothing  is  strong,  nothing 
is  holy,"  it  is  by  these  representations  of  truth 
and  duty  that  we  must  maintain  it  against  other 
principles  which  will  be  struggling  in  the  bosom. 
But  when  it  is  well  formed  and  established,  we 
shall  act  by  it,  on  all  common  occasions,  not  so 
much  from  reflection  as  from  habit ;  and  be  led 
into  the  feelings  and  duties  which  our  object 
demands,  without  recalling  it  expressly  to  our 
thoughts.  A  parent  who  lives  for  the  welfare  of 
her  child,  has  no  need  to  reason  with  herself  upon 
the  matter  ;  nor,  in  every  single  act  which  pro- 
motes her  object,  to  have  it  strongly  or  expressly 
in  her  eye.  She  feels,  rather  than  reasons ;  she 
acts  rather  from  habit,  than  deliberation.  And 
so  they  who  live  to  the  glory  of  God,  having 
formed  the  habits  of  their  life  upon  that  principle, 
may  go  on  regularly  in  those  habits,  with  all 
suitable  feelings,  and  in  the  practice  of  all  re- 
quired duties  ;  yet  referring  to  the  principle  itself 
in  serious  moments  and  on  graver  occasions 
alone.  We  act,  in  general,  from  habit  rather  than 
from  reflection ;  and,  for  want  of  attending  to 
this,  many  persons  of  scrupulous  minds  have 
been  led  into  great  perplexity.  They  have  pos- 
sessed the  principle  of  regard  to  God,  but  they 
have  mistaken  the  mode  of  its  operation.  They 
have  looked  back,  therefore,  upon  a  day  of  useful 
labour  in  the  duties  of  their  calling,  as  a  day, 
if  not  lost,  yet  not  spent  to  his  glory,  because  not 
passed  in  acts  of  worship,  nor  in  express  purposes 
of  honouring  him :  and,  reviewing  their  whole  lives 
in  this  spirit,  have  rendered  themselves  unhappy 
by  the  very  uprightness  of  their  intentions.  Just 


106  THE  DUTY  OF  GLORIFYING  GOD. 

views,  however,  of  the  subject,  are  far  from 
having  a  tendency  to  distress  the  upright  heart : 
on  the  contrary,  they  will  do  more  than  any 
thing  else  to  alleviate  its  burdens.  How  cheer- 
fully would  a  good  man  go  forth  to  his  labour, 
could  he  regard  his  daily  occupations  as  the 
service  of  his  God  !  Under  this  persuasion,  how 
calm  and  tranquil  would  his  mind  be  kept !  How 
well  would  he  be  guarded  against  murmuring  or 
sloth,  and  consoled  under  the  little  disappoint- 
ments and  petty  vexations  of  his  existence !  How 
light  and  peaceful  would  those  slumbers  be  which 
he  should  have  procured  by  conscious  diligence 
under  the  eye  of  his  approving  Master  in  heaven! 
God  exacts  no  superstitious  regard  ;  and  he 
reckons  the  conscientious  discharge  of  our  duties 
as  his  appointment,  among  the  services  which  he 
will  own  and  recompense. 

2.  Let  me  briefly  shew  the  operation  of  this 
same  principle  in  another  instance. — There  are 
various  peculiar  duties  attached  to  every  rank  and 
relation  in  life— to  parents  and  children,  for  ex- 
ample ;  to  husband  and  wife ;  to  master  and  ser- 
vant. The  duties  of  these  relations  may  be  per- 
formed, and  decently  performed,  without  any 
regard  to  God.  A  heathen  parent  may  have  a 
tenderness  of  affection  for  his  children,  which  all 
mankind  must  admire.  A  husband  and  wife,  with- 
out any  principle  of  religion,  may  yet  be  united 
in  the  closest  bonds  of  love.  And  a  master  may 
be  kind,  or  a  servant  faithful,  on  whom  the  au- 
thority of  their  common  Master  in  heaven  would 
have  no  influence.  In  such  cases,  natural  afl'ec- 
tions,  or  ordinary  motives,  do  that,  in  part,  which 


THE  DUTY  OF  GLORIFYING  GOD.  107 

the  aid  and  controul  of  a  higher  principle  would 
enable  them  to  do  much  better;  and  God  is 
only  so  far  glorified,  as  the  general  order  and 
harmony  of  his  creatures  demonstrate  the  per- 
fection of  the  Creator.  But  where  the  heart  is 
renewed,  and  a  regard  to  God  implanted,  the 
influence  of  this  principle  will  extend  to  the  vari- 
ous relations  of  life,  and  all  their  duties  be  placed 
on  a  new  footing.  St.  Paul  explains  this  in  his 
Epistle  to  the  Colossians  :  Whatsoever  ye  do,'* 
says  he,  in  word  or  deed,  do  all  in  the  name 
of  the  Lord  Jesus."  How?  He  proceeds  to  shew 
us :  Wives,  submit  yourselves  unto  your  own 
husbands,  as  it  is  fit  in  the  Lord."  Children , 
obey  your  parents  in  all  things,  for  this  is  well- 
pleasing  to  the  Lord."  Servants,  obey  in  all 
things  your  masters  according  to  the  flesh ;  not 
with  eye-service,  as  men-pleasers,  but  in  single- 
ness of  heart,  fearing  God.  And  whatever  ye  do, 
do  it  heartily,  as  to  the  Lord,  and  not  unto  men  ; 
knowing  that  of  the  Lord  ye  shall  receive  the 
reward  of  the  inheritance :  for  ye  serve  the  Lord 
Christ." 

It  is  thus,  then,  that  our  regard  to  God's  honour 
should  appear.  It  is  thus  that  the  consideration 
of  his  will,  of  his  presence,  of  the  duty  which  we 
owe  to  Him,  and  the  recompence  we  may  expect 
from  Him,  are  to  bear  upon  the  relations  and  upon 
the  whole  conduct  of  life.  Whatever  we  do,  there 
must  be  an  aim  and  object  beyond  all  that  sense, 
or  worldly  prudence,  or  natural  feelings,  would 
suggest.  Some  reference,  directly  or  remotely, 
to  the  will  of  God  ;  to  our  business  in  life,  as  his 
appointment;  to  the  credit  and  advancement  of 


108  THE  DUTY  OF  GLORIFYING  GOD. 

his  cause  in  the  world ;  to  our  own  spiritual  be- 
nefit, should  be  a  ruling  motive  of  our  conduct : 
something  which  leads  us,  in  a  variety  of  instances, 
to  deny  ourselves,  and  to  act  as  we  should  not  act 
merely  for  our  own  gratification :  something  which 
would  propose  an  end  above  that  of  worldly  men, 
even  in  common  cases  ;  even  where  the  action,  as 
distinct  from  its  principle,  appeared  the  same. 

Thus  our  very  amusements  and  relaxations 
should  be  enjoyed  upon  principle.  As  far  as  they  are 
subservient  to  right  ends  they  may  be  indulged 
with  a  good  conscience,  nay,  considered  even  as  a 
duty ;  but  when  they  transgress  their  proper 
bounds ;  when  they  engross  the  heart,  or  dissipate 
the  mind,  or  waste  our  time,  or  unfit  us  for  the 
service  of  God ;  then  the  principle  of  regard  to 
his  glory  should  lead  us  to  retrench  or  abandon 
them. 

Thus,  too,  the  food  and  rest  which  we  require 
should  be  taken  upon  Christian  principles. — When 
we  eat,  or  drink,  or  sleep,  for  the  needful  refresh- 
ment of  nature  ;  are  thankful  to  God  for  such 
refreshment,  and  desire  that  the  strength  thus  re- 
cruited may  be  spent  in  his  service  ;  we  do  it  to 
the  glory  of  God.  But  if,  on  the  other  hand,  we 
give  way,  in  any  of  these  things,  to  immoderate 
indulgence ;  if  we  have  no  end  in  view  but  the 
gratification  of  carnal  desires,  no  wish  but  to 
prolong  a  life  of  pleasure  and  of  sin,  we  are 
acting  in  direct  opposition  to  this  precept  of  the 
Apostle. 

Thus  our  principle  should  be  called  into 
exercise  on  all  occasions.  Do  we  receive  an 
insult,  or  are  we  treated  with  neglect  ?  It  should 


THE  DUTY  OF  GLORIFYING  GOD.  109 

induce  us  to  curb  the  pride  and  indignation  of  our 
hearts,  and  make  us  respect  the  command  of 
Christ ;  to  "  put  away  wrath,"  and  follow 
after  meekness."  It  should  lead  us  to  follow  his 
example,  who,  when  he  was  reviled,  reviled 
not  again  ;  when  he  suffered,  he  threatened  not ; 
but  committed  himself  to  God  "  as  his  Judge. — Do 
we  meet  with  trials  and  disappointments  ?  There 
should  be  a  ready  recurrence  to  the  principle 
which  teaches  us  to  hear  the  rod,  and  him  who 
hath  appointed  it ; "  to  possess  our  souls  in 
patience ;  "  and  to  testify  our  regard  to  God  by  a 
calm  and  humble  resignation  to  his  will.  In  a 
word,  the  principle  upon  which  we  act,  if  we 
desire  to  glorify  him,  should  be  one  which  mani- 
fests itself  more  or  less  clearly  in  all  the  occur- 
rences of  life. 

Such,  then,  are  the  objects  we  shall  keep  in 
view,  and  such  the  motives  from  which  we  shall 
act,  in  proportion  as  we  feel  the  power  and 
possess  the  true  spirit  of  the  Gospel. — And  now 
let  us  turn  to  our  own  consciences  and  hearts. 
What  is  our  prevailing  principle  ?  Is  it  the  fear 
and  love  of  God  ?  Or  is  it  our  own  gratification, 
or  temporal  advantage  alone  ?  I  say  alone,  because 
we  may  conscientiously  seek  our  own  advantage 
when  it  is  in  subserviency  to  the  will  of  God.  That 
will  and  our  own  interest  point  frequently  to  the 
same  line  of  conduct.  But,  at  all  events,  we 
should,  in  general,  judge  of  our  state,  not  so 
much  by  any  single  action  whether  good  or  bad 
(for  this  seldom  determines  the  character),  as  by 
the  general  inclination  of  our  minds,  and  the  grand 
principles  upon  which  we  act  through  life.  For 


110  THE  DUTY  OF  GLORIFYING  GOD. 

there  is  one  ruling  principle  with  us  all :  we  live 
either  to  God  or  to  ourselves.    By  nature,  every 
man  lives  to  himself:  by  grace,  he  begins  to  live 
to  God ;  and  in  proportion  to  the  better  know- 
ledge he  obtains,  and  the  greater  degree  of  love 
to  God  and  to  Christ  which  his  faith  in  the  Gospel 
inspires,  in  that  proportion  he  not  only  enlarges 
the  sphere  of  his  duties,  but  performs  them  more 
and  more     after  a  godly  sort."    Grace  in  the 
heart  is  like  a  little  leaven,  which,  by  degrees, 
leaveneth  the  whole  lump.    It  is  a  principle  in- 
fused, which,  by  little  and  little,  extends  its  in- 
fluence through  all  the  actions  of  life.  It  regulates 
our  words  and  our  thoughts ;  moderates  our  de- 
sires, corrects  our  tempers ;  accompanies  us  into 
our  closets,  and  into  the  scenes  of  our  worldly 
business,  teaching  us,  that,  in  all  things  and  by 
all  ways,  we  should  glorify  the  name  of  God,  and 
abound  in  the  fruits  of  righteousness  which  are 
by  Christ  Jesus  to  his  praise. 

Again:  Let  this  subject  convince  us  of  the  error 
of  those  who  confine  religion  to  devotional  duties. 
No :  religion  is  not  merely  an  act  of  homage  paid 
upon  our  bended  knees  to  God;  it  is  not  confined 
to  the  closet  and  the  church,  nor  is  it  restrained 
to  the  hours  of  the  Sabbath  :  it  is  a  general  prin- 
ciple, extending  to  a  mans  whole  conduct,  in  every 
transaction  and  in  every  place.  I  know  no  mis- 
take which  is  more  dangerous,  than  that  which 
lays  down  devotional  feelings  alone  as  the  test  of 
true  religion.  He,  indeed,  whose  piety  is  genuine, 
will  pour  forth  his  heart  to  God  in  supplication, 
or  in  ascriptions  of  holy  praise.  A  cold  and 
heartless  form  is  foreign  to  the  very  nature  of 


THE  DUTY  OF  GLORIFYING  GOD.  Ill 


Christian  worship.  But  there  is  such  a  thing  as 
being  very  constant  in  this  duty,  and  feeling 
much  under  the  preaching  of  the  Gospel,  while 
the  common  principles  of  action  are  of  a  worldly 
kind,  and  the  conduct  such  as  by  no  means 

shines  before  men,  so  that  they  may  glorify 
our  Father  which  is  in  heaven."  Let  us  be  con- 
vinced that  all  prayer,  all  preaching,  all  know- 
ledge, are  but  means  to  attain  a  superior  end  ; 
and  that  end,  the  sanctification  of  the  heart  and 
of  all  the  principles  upon  which  we  are  daily 
acting.  Till  our  Christianity  appears  in  our 
conversation,  in  our  business,  in  our  pleasures, 
in  the  aims  and  objects  of  our  life,  we  have  not 
attained  a  conformity  to  the  image  of  our  Sa- 
viour, nor  have  we  learned  his  Gospel  aright. 

Lastly  :  Would  we  possess  this  principle  of 
doing  all  things  to  the  glory  of  God,  let  us  first 
seek  to  have  the  love  of  God  shed  abroad  in  our 
hearts.  The  effect  is  a  great  one  :  the  motive 
which  produces  it  must  therefore  be  powerful. 
Let  us  love  God,  and  we  shall  serve  him  faith- 
fully and  universally.  And  here  we  perceive 
the  efficacy  of  the  Gospel  to  produce  this  great 
change  in  man.  We  all,"  says  the  Apostle, 
**  beholding,  as  in  a  glass,  the  glory  of  the 
Lord,  are  changed  into  the  same  image,  from 
glory  to  glory,  as  by  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord." 
The  Gospel  shews  us  our  ruin  without  God.  It 
discovers  to  us  the  misery  of  our  fallen  nature ; 
always  mistaking  the  path  of  happiness,  and 
striking  into  many  devious  paths  where  happi- 
ness never  can  be  found.  It  reveals  a  Saviour  to 
us ;  an  heavenly  Director,  to  guide  our  feet  into 


112  THE  DUTY  OF  GLORIFYING  GOD. 

the  way  of  peace.  It  proclaims  the  forgiveness 
of  sins  through  his  blood,  and  the  sanctification 
of  our  souls  by  his  Holy  Spirit.  Thus  pardoned, 
thus  encouraged,  we  seek  to  run  the  way  of  his 
commandments.  Gratitude  and  affection  begin 
to  rule  in  our  breasts.  The  love  of  Christ  now 
constrains  us  to  live  no  longer  to  ourselves,  but 
to  Him  who  loved  us,  and  gave  himself  for  us.  " 
Thus  we  begin  to  serve  God,  and  thus  we  con- 
tinue to  obey  him.  Fresh  displays  of  his  power 
and  mercy  overcome  our  continual  propensity  to 
backslide,  and  lead  us  to  "  run  with  patience  the 
race  that  is  set  before  us.'"  Self-denial  is  cheer- 
fully practised.  The  operation  of  Divine  grace 
is  extended  through  all  branches  of  our  conduct; 
and  we  endeavour,  in  earnest,  "  whether  we  eat 
or  drink,  or  whatsoever  we  do,  to  do  all  to  the 
glory  of  God."  Amen. 


113 


SERMON  VIII. 

PROOFS   AND    REASONS    OF   THE    SUFFERINGS  OF 
THE  SON  OF  GOD. 

(preached   on  good  FRIDAY.) 
ISAIAH  liii.  3 — 6. 

He  is  despised  and  rejected  of  men,  a  man  of  sorrows 
and  acquainted  with  grief ;  and  we  hid  as  it  were 
our  faces  from  him :  he  was  despised,  and  we 
esteemed  him  not.  Surely  he  hath  borne  our 
griefs,  and  carried  our  sorrows ;  yet  we  did  esteem 
him  stricken,  smitten  of  God,  and  afflicted.  But 
he  was  wounded  for  our  transgressions,  he  was 
bruised  for  our  iJiiquities :  the  chastisement  of  our 
peace  was  upon  him,  and  with  his  stripes  we  are 
healed.  All  we  like  sheep  have  gone  astray  ;  ive 
have  turned  every  one  to  his  own  way,  and  the 
Lord  hath  laid  on  him  the  iniquity  of  us  all. 

That  this  passage  contains  a  direct  prophecy 
of  Jesus  Christ  is  so  plain,  that  I  can  scarcely 
conceive  any  serious  objection  to  be  made  to  it. 
The  principal  doubt  which  is  likely  to  arise  in  the 
mind  is,  that  it  is  so  literal  and  particular  as  to 
seem  to  be  rather  an  history  interpolated  into  the 
text  after  the  events  had  taken  place,  than  a 
prophecy  delivered  seven  hundred  years  before 

VOL.  II.  I 


114 


OF  THE  SUFFERINGS 


them.  But  this  doubt  is  instantly  removed,  by 
considering  that  the  Jews,  the  grand  enemies  of 
Christ,  were  the  very  persons  to  whom  the  pre- 
servation of  this  prophecy  was  entrusted  ;  that 
they  acknowledge  it  to  be  genuine,  and  have 
never  suggested  a  doubt  of  its  authenticity.  If, 
then,  it  is  genuine,  to  whom  can  it  relate  ?  It 
would  be  a  waste  of  time  to  attempt  to  confute 
the  interpretations  that  have  been  given  by  the 
Jews  of  late  years,  by  which  it  is  made  to  apply 
to  Hezekiah,  to  Jeremiah,  &c.  It  will  here  be 
sufficient  to  observe,  that,  as  in  a  lock  consisting 
of  numerous  wards,  that  key  alone  is  the  true 
one  which  fits  all  the  wards ;  so  in  prophecy, 
that  only  is  the  true  interpretation  of  any  pre- 
diction which  fits  every  part  of  it ;  and  the  more 
numerous  and  unconunon  such  parts  are,  the  more 
manifest  is  it,  in  the  case  of  a  perfect  coincidence, 
that  the  true  interpretation  has  been  given.  I 
say,  the  more  uncommon ;  because,  if  events  are 
foretold  which  cannot  possibly  apply  but  to  a 
few  persons,  the  interpretation  is  then  propor- 
tionably  limited.  If,  for  instance,  a  prophecy 
should  relate  to  a  king,  this  would  narrow  the 
range  of  interpretation  to  those  who  bore  the 
kingly  office  ;  if  to  a  king  who  had  died  a  violent 
death,  this  would  narrow  it  still  more ;  if  that 
death  was  inflicted  by  his  own  subjects,  it  would 
reduce  still  more  considerably  the  number  of 
persons  to  whom  it  could  be  applied.  But,  in 
the  present  case,  there  are  circumstances  so  very 
peculiar,  that  they  can  be  applied  to  one  person 
alone. 

The  person  here  spoken  of  was  to  be  the  ser- 


OF  THE  SON  OF  GOD. 


115 


vant  of  God,  the  Arm  of  the  Lord,  the  subject  of 
prophecy.  Yet  when  he  came  into  the  world,  he 
was  to  be  despised  and  rejected  of  men ;  he  was 
not  to  be  received  as  the  Messiah ;  he  was  to  be 
put  into  prison ;  he  was  to  be  brought  as  a  lamb 
to  the  slaughter ;  many  were  to  be  astonished  at 
him ;  his  visage  was  to  be  marred  more  than  any 
man's;  he  was  to  be  numbered  with  transgressors, 
and  cut  off  by  a  judicial  sentence  out  of  the  land 
of  the  living ;  his  grave  was  appointed  with  the 
wicked,  yet  his  tomb  was  to  be  with  the  rich 
man.  And  his  sufferings  were  to  be  of  no  ordi- 
nary kind,  and  inflicted  for  no  common  cause. 
He  was  to  be  wounded  for  our  transgressions, 
and  smitten  for  our  iniquities.  Jehovah  was 
pleased  to  put  him  to  grief,  and  to  make  his 
soul  an  offering  for  sin,  though  he  had  done  no 
wrong,  nor  was  any  guile  found  in  his  mouth. 
But  after  God  had  thus  made  his  soul  an  offering 
for  sin,  then  he  was  to  revive  again ;  to  prolong 
his  days  ;  to  erect  a  spiritual  kingdom  ;  to 
sprinkle  many  nations  ;  to  be  advanced  above 
kings,  who  should  shut  their  mouths  before  him ; 
to  be  exalted,  and  extolled,  and  be  very  high  ;  to 
see  and  be  satisfied  with  the  effect  of  the  travail 
of  his  soul ;  to  justify  many  by  his  knowledge  ; 
and  to  make  intercession  for  transgressors. 

Now  of  these  particulars  it  is  evident  that 
most  of  them  can  be  applied  only  to  a  few  per- 
sons ;  some,  from  their  very  nature,  to  none  but 
such  a  divine  and  extraordinary  person  as  Jesus 
Christ ;  but  that  to  him  all  are  applicable  in  the 
plainest  and  most  literal  sense.  We  may  con- 
clude, therefore,  that  if  the  real  import  of  any 

12 


116 


OF  THE  SUFFERINGS 


prophecy  is  clear  and  indisputable,  that  of  the 
text  is  so,  when  it  is  made  to  refer  to  our  Lord 
and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ. 

But  I  did  not  intend  to  touch,  except  inci- 
dentally, on  the  Person  to  whom  this  prophecy 
points.  My  principal  object  is  to  direct  your 
attention  to  that  part  of  the  prophecy  which  ex- 
plains the  reason  why  the  Messiah  was  permitted 
to  endure  sufferings.  "  He  was  wounded  for  our 
transgressions,  he  was  bruised  for  our  iniquities ; 
the  chastisement "  by  which  our  peace"  was  to 
be  effected  was  laid  upon  him,  and  by  his 
stripes  we  are  healed." 

That  there  should  be  a  Divine  Personage  who, 
with  any  degree  of  propriety,  could  be  styled,  in 
a  peculiar  sense,  the  Son  of  God — that  he  should 
take  upon  him  our  nature,  and  suffer  death  upon 
the  cross — is  a  fact  so  extraordinary,  so  entirely 
out  of  the  common  course  of  things,  so  unlike 
any  thing  else  in  the  world,  that  we  may  justly 
require  the  strongest  evidence  of  the  fact, 
and  expect  also  some  explanation  of  its 
cause. 

I.  The  evidence  of  the  fact  is  to  be  collected 
from  the  accumulated  testimonies  of  prophecy, 
from  the  acts  and  declarations  of  our  blessed  Lord, 
and  from  the  decisive  witness  of  the  Holy  Spirit, 
after  the  resurrection  of  Christ,  in  his  various 
and  miraculous  influences. 

1.  How  much  the  spirit  of  prophecy  is  the  tes- 
timony to  Jesus,  we  need  not  remark,  after  the 
striking  and  literal  description  given  of  him  in 
my  text.    It  is  sufficient  to  observe,  that  the 


OF  THE  SON  OF  GOD. 


117 


attention  of  mankind  was  directed  towards  this 
illustrious  Person  by  a  regular  chain  of  prophecy, 
continued  from  the  creation  of  the  world.  Other 
persons  have  been  the  subjects  of  prophecy,  but 
of  a  single  unconnected  prophecy.  Who  but 
Jesus  was  ever  the  subject  of  prophecies  ex- 
tending from  the  first  record  of  inspiration  to  the 
ceasing  of  the  prophetic  spirit  under  the  Jewish 
dispensation  ?  Who,  like  him,  was  the  subject 
of  multiplied,  distinct,  and  detailed  prophecies ; 
in  delivering  which  the  prophets  were  elevated 
to  the  highest  tone  of  inspiration,  and  displayed 
the  sublimest  sentiments  which  the  imagination 
could  conceive,  in  the  loftiest  strains  which  lan- 
guage could  dictate  ?  Who  but  Christ  had  the 
universal  testimony  of  the  whole  chorus  of  pro- 
phets ?  For  to  him  ail  the  prophets  give  witness. 
The  harp  of  prophecy  seemed  to  be  formed  only 
to  celebrate  Jesus  ;  and  the  sacred  melody  of 
its  highest  and  most  celestial  tones  was  directed 
to  Him  as  its  inspiring  theme,  its  object,  and  its 
glory. 

2.  And  when  our  blessed  Lord  at  length  ap- 
peared upon  earth,  every  circumstance  relating 
to  him,  every  action  of  his  life,  proved  that  he 
was  a  person  totally  different  from  the  ordinary 
children  of  men.  Who  but  himself  was  born  in 
a  supernatural  manner?  Whose  birth  was  cele- 
brated like  his  by  multitudes  of  the  heavenly 
host  chaunting,  while  they  contemplated  the 
holiness  and  happiness  of  his  kingdom,  Glory 
to  God  in  the  highest,  and  on  earth  peace  and 
good  will. to  men?  "  Who,  like  him,  was  entrusted 
with  all  the  grand  variety  and  boundless  extent 


118 


OF  THE  SUFFERINGS 


of  the  Divine  power  ?  Who,  like  him,  com- 
manded the  winds  and  seas,  and  they  obeyed 
him  ?  Who,  like  him,  had  the  power  to  cure 
every  disease  by  a  word  ?  When  did  the  evil 
spirits  acknowledge  their  inferiority  in  the  same 
manner  as  they  did  to  him,  and  promptly  depart, 
as  at  his  bidding,  from  the  bodies  of  the  pos- 
sessed ?  When  did  the  dead  rise  up  from  their 
graves,  as  at  his  command  ?  All  nature,  animate 
and  inanimate,  acknowledged  him  as  its  Lord. 
Angels,  from  above,  ministered  to  him ;  hell,  from 
beneath,  submitted  to  his  power;  the  sea  and 
the  air  paid  homage  to  him  ;  the  sun  refused  to 
shine  when  he  hung  upon  the  cross ;  earth  shook 
to  its  centre  when  he  expired  ;  and  the  voice  of 
God,  from  heaven,  audibly  proclaimed  him  to  be 
his  beloved  Son,  in  whom  he  was  well  pleased. 

3.  After  such  a  display  of  Divinity,  we  shall 
be  prepared  to  receive  his  own  testimony  con- 
cerning himself  No  one  of  the  children  of  men 
was  ever  less  ostentatious,  less  assuming,  than 
Christ ;  for  he  was  the  model  of  lowliness  and 
humility  :  yet  he  did  not  esteem  it  arrogance  to 
maintain,  constantly  and  plainly,  that  God  was 
his  Father ;  that  he  was  his  only  Son ;  that  he 
had  dwelt  in  heaven  before  he  came  upon  earth ; 
that  the  Father  had  put  all  things  into  his  hand ; 
that,  after  suffering  death,  he  should  rise  again 
on  the  third  day,  and  ascend  into  heaven,  there 
to  dwell  with  the  Father  for  ever,  to  sit  at  his 
right  hand,  and  to  be  the  Intercessor  for  sinful 
man. 

Now  if  we  take  a  view  of  the  prophecies  con- 
cerning him,  and  the  actions  of  his  life,  and 


OF  THE  SON  OF  GOD. 


119 


compare  them  with  his  declarations,  they  will  be 
found  in  unison  with  each  other.  His  declara- 
tions are  uniformly  confirmed  and  supported  by 
both  the  prophecies  and  the  acts. 

4.  Immediately  upon  his  ascension  into  heaven, 
the  extraordinary  inspiration  of  the  Spirit,  which 
had  long  ceased,  broke  forth  with  irresistible 
power,  and  enlightened  the  world.  Prophecy 
again  revived,  in  order  to  speak  of  him ;  miracles 
were  generally  performed  by  his  disciples  in  his 
name ;  myriads  were  converted  to  the  Christian 
faith ;  the  men  so  converted  became  witnesses  of 
the  truth  and  power  of  the  Gospel,  and  cheer- 
fully sealed  their  testimony  with  their  blood  ; 
from  the  rising  to  the  setting  of  the  sun,  Christ 
was  worshipped  and  glorified  :  to  him  each  dying 
believer  has  entrusted  his  soul,  as  to  the  only 
hope  of  mankind;  and  to  him,  for  1800  years, 
throughout  the  whole  church,  has  every  eye 
been  directed,  and  every  tongue  been  vocal,  as 
their  Master  and  Teacher,  their  Sacrifice  and 
Saviour,  their  Lord  and  God. 

Now  we  ought  to  observe,  that  it  is  not  on 
any  single  fact,  any  solitary  testimony,  that  we 
found  our  persuasion  of  the  high  dignity  and  un- 
rivalled glory  of  Christ,  as  the  Son  of  God  and 
the  Saviour  of  the  world  ;  but  on  the  whole  united 
testimony  of  prophets,  of  miracles,  of  the  decla- 
rations of  Christ,  of  the  effusion  of  the  Spirit,  and 
of  the  conduct  of  his  disciples.  It  is  upon  the 
union  and  harmony  of  all  these,  forming  a  con- 
tinued chain,  an  extensive  mass  of  evidence,  that 
we  fix  the  foundation  of  our  faith.  All  these 
concur,  from  century  to  century,  from  one  region 


120 


OF  THE  SUFFERINGS 


of  the  globe  to  another,  to  bear  witness  to  Jesus : 
prophet  answers  prophet;  earth  replies  to  heaven; 
angels  join  their  testimony  with  that  of  men ;  all 
with  one  consent  pointing  him  out  as  the  Son  of 
God,  the  only  Saviour  of  sinners. 

II.  It  is  necessary  to  prepare  the  mind,  by  pre- 
vious reflection  on  the  vast  and  decisive  mass  of 
evidence  which  proves  the  dignity  and  glory  of 
Christ,  for  approaching  in  a  proper  frame  to  the 
consideration  of  the  question,  on  what  account 
the  Son  of  God  became  incarnate  and  suffered  on 
the  cross.  And,  indeed,  these  two  views  of  the 
subject  serve  strongly  to  illustrate  each  other ; 
for  if  we  consider  the  dignity  of  the  Son  of  God, 
the  high  expectations  raised  of  his  approach,  and 
the  Divine  testimonies  given  of  his  glory,  we  may 
be  assured  that  the  end  which  he  came  to  ac- 
complish must  have  been  of  the  very  first  import- 
ance. On  the  other  hand,  if  we  contemplate 
that  end,  as  it  is  made  known  to  us  in  Scripture, 
its  vast  importance  and  immense  magnitude — 
no  less  than  the  redemption  of  man,  the  expia- 
tion of  sin,  the  restoration  of  a  fallen  world — it 
will  evidently  appear  to  be  such  as  none  but  a 
Divine  person  could  undertake.  Its  importance 
justifies  the  high-raised  expectation  which  the 
long-continued  series  of  prophecy  had  inspired, 
and  explains  the  propriety  of  all  the  illustrious 
testimonies  which  were  given  to  the  dignity  and 
glory  of  Christ.  The  Saviour  of  man  could  not 
be  less  than  Divine. 

Accordingly  we  are  told  by  the  Prophet,  when 
he  comes  to  speak  of  the  sufferings  of  Christ,  that 


OF  THE  SON  OF  GOD. 


121 


they  were  inflicted  not  on  his  own  account :  he 
had  "  done  no  violence,  neither  was  guile  found 
in  his  mouth;"  but  his  sufferings  were  under- 
taken for  our  salvation.  He  was  to  be  wounded 
for  our  transgressions ;  he  was  to  be  bruised  for 
our  iniquities  ;  the  chastisement  by  which  our 
peace  was  to  be  eff'ected  was  to  be  laid  upon 
him ;  and  by  his  stripes  we  were  to  be  healed  : 
his  soul  was  to  be  made  an  offering  for  sin. 

If  there  appears  any  difficulty  in  receiving  this 
testimony  concerning  the  end  which  the  Saviour 
was  to  accomplish,  let  us  reflect  that  it  was  a 
transaction  entirely  of  its  own  kind,  nothing  si- 
milar to  it  being  to  be  found,  according  to  which 
we  may  measure  its  propriety  or  explain  its 
nature.    Let  us  also  bear  in  mind,  that  heavenly 
subjects  are  not  to  be  judged  of  by  worldly  ideas, 
or  tried  at  the  bar  of  human  reason.    And  hence 
arises  the  difficulty  of  comprehending  those  parts 
of  Revelation  which  relate  to  heavenly  things. 
From  the  ignorance  of  our  minds  and  the  imper- 
fection of  our  faculties,  the  Revelation  must  ne- 
cessarily be  accommodated  to  worldly  ideas.  It 
must  be  an  approximation  to  truth,  rather  than 
truth  itself.  It  must  select  some  earthly  analogy, 
and  give  an  imperfect  explanation  of  heavenly 
subjects,  by  a  reference  to  the  earthly  subjects 
with  which  they  best  admit  of  being  compared. 
Thus,  in  speaking  of  the  proper  nature  and  dig- 
nity of  the  Saviour,  and  his  relation  to  God,  the 
term    Son  of  God"  is  used;  because  the  idea  of 
a  Son  conveys  the  nearest  resemblance  of  that 
mysterious  union,  that  intimate  connexion,  which 
subsists  between  Christ  and  the  Father  But 


122 


OF  THE  SUFFERlxVGS 


yet  the  term  is  inadequate  to  convey  to  us  per- 
fect conceptions.  The  union  is  of  an  infinitely 
higher  and  closer  nature  than  earthly  words  can 
describe,  or  human  imagination  conceive.  And 
a  great  part  of  the  errors  of  man  arises  from  this 
source,  that  he  judges  of  God  by  earthly  ideas, 
and  tries  his  ways  by  the  scanty  conceptions  of 
worldly  reason.  Vain  and  foolish  proceeding  ! 
Every  thing  relating  to  God,  every  thing  relating 
to  the  ways  of  God,  mocks  all  the  efforts  of  man's 
understanding.  We  cannot  form  a  clear  judgment 
of  any  one  of  his  attributes,  or  fully  comprehend 
any  of  his  actions.  His  ways  are  in  the  great 
deep,  and  his  judgments  past  finding  out."  Let 
us,  then,  when  we  approach  our  present  subject — 
one  which  treats  of  the  very  highest  and  most 
solemn  transaction  between  God  and  man  ;  one, 
confessedly,  which  has  no  parallel  by  which  it 
can  be  judged,  and  must  therefore  rest  solely 
upon  its  own  basis — let  us  divest  our  minds  of  all 
narrow,  partial,  groveling  ideas,  derived  from 
the  earth  on  which  we  tread,  and  the  poor  fallen 
creatures  by  whom  we  are  surrounded ;  and 
elevate  our  thoughts  to  the  majesty  of  God,  the 
sublimity  of  his  attributes,  and  the  glory  of  his 
Son.  Then  we  shall  see  that  such  was  the  awful 
holiness  of  God,  that  he  thought  it  right  to  dis- 
play that  holiness  in  the  most  illustrious  manner, 
by  making  his  own  Son  suffer  death  as  an  expia- 
tion for  sin.  Such  was  his  infinite  mercy,  that  he 
withheld  not  from  us  his  only  Son,  but  gave  him 
up  to  be  the  propitiation  of  our  sins.  He  treats 
him  as  the  representative  of  the  human  race. 
The  Son  takes  upon  him  their  nature  :  he  bears 


OF  THE  SON  OF  GOD. 


123 


in  his  own  body  their  sins  :  he  voluntarily  suffers 
for  their  sakes  :  and  God,  in  accepting  what  he 
suffered,  accepts  them  also;  pardons,  for  his 
sake,  their  transgression  ;  receives  them  into  his 
favour,  as  the  redeemed  of  his  Son ;  and  blesses 
them  with  infinite  and  eternal  blessings,  on  ac- 
count of  their  relation  to  him.  With  him  they 
are  raised  from  death  ;  through  him  they  are 
translated  to  heaven.  Sanctified  by  him,  their 
prayers  are  heard  and  their  imperfect  repentance 
accepted.  Through  him,  all  mercy,  life,  and 
pardon —in  a  word,  all  blessings— -are  dispensed 
to  sinful  man. 

In  addressing  you,  my  beloved  brethren,  I 
must  address  you  as  sinners  in  the  sight  of  God. 
In  this  point  we  all  agree ;  we  all  like  sheep  have 
gone  astray;  we  have  turned  every  one  to  his  own  way. 
It  becomes  us,  then,  seriously  to  inquire  in  what 
mode  it  will  please  God  to  pardon  our  sins,  and 
restore  us  to  his  favour.  Here  the  question  is  not, 
what  steps  we  may  think  the  most  proper  to  be 
taken  in  order  to  make  our  peace  with  God,  but, 
what  is  the  way  which  he  has  been  pleased  to 
appoint  for  that  purpose.  The  declarations  of  his 
will,  not  our  reason,  must  here  be  consulted.  We 
know  so  little  of  the  nature  of  God,  his  infinite 
purity,  and  the  heinousness  of  transgression  in  his 
sight,  that  we  are  very  inadequate  judges  of  what 
may  be  requisite  for  the  pardon  of  sin.  Think  not, 
then,  that  it  is  sufficient  to  repent,  and  endea- 
vour to  avoid  sin  for  the  future.  Undoubtedly, 
repentance  is  absolutely  necessary ;  and  a  hearty 
desire  and  unceasing  endeavour  to  avoid  all  sin 


124 


OF  THE  SUFFERINGS 


in  future  are  absolutely  necessary  also.    But  the 
question  still  is,  whether  God  does  not  require 
something  to  make  your  very  repentance  accepta- 
ble ;  something  to  satisfy  the  justice  and  holiness 
of  his  nature  ;  something  on  account  of  which  he 
may  deem  it  consistent  with  his  attributes  to  re- 
ceive you  into  favour.    Now  the  whole  scope  of 
Revelation  is  intended  to  shew,  from  the  very 
highest  authority,  that  this  is  the  case ;  that  the 
merits  and  death  of  his  only  Son  form  the  con- 
sideration on  account  of  which  he  will  pardon  and 
accept  you  ;  and  that  you  must,  by  a  lively  faith, 
be  interested  in  that  death  and  in  those  merits 
before  you  can  be  a  sharer  in  those  high  privileges. 
This  my  text  clearly  shews  ;  the  whole  Levitical 
dispensation  shews  it ;  the  whole  of  the  prophetic 
writings  shews  it.    It  is  the  sum  and  substance 
of  the  New  Testament  :  every  page  exhibits  it ; 
every  miracle  attests  it ;  every  effusion  of  the 
Holy  Spirit  confirms  it  anew.    Allow  that  Jesus 
Christ  is  the  mighty  Saviour  on  whom  alone  we 
must  depend  for  salvation,  and  every  thing  in 
Revelation  is  in  harmony  :  exclude  him  from  that 
office,  and  the  whole  system  of  the  Gospel  be- 
comes strange,  disproportionate,  and  unintelli- 
gible.   Too  much  is  there  attributed  to  Christ, 
too  lofty  names  are  given  to  him,  too  high  ex- 
pressions are  used  concerning  him,  if  he  is  not 
the  grand  Mediator  between  God  and  man,  and 
if  salvation  is  not  wholly  to  be  obtained  through 
faith  in  him. 

Knowing,  my  brethren,  that  ere  long  you  and 
I  must  stand  before  the  judgment-seat  of  Christ, 
and  being  most  deeply  convinced  of  the  awfulness 


OF  THE  SON  OF  GOD. 


125 


of  that  solemn  trial,  I  cannot  but  be  very  anxious 
that  in  that  day  we  may  be  found  justified  and 
accepted  before  God.    And  I  fear  lest,  through 
the  pride  of  reasoning,  or  the  carelessness  of  our 
hearts,  we  should  be  found  to  have  neglected  the 
great  salvation  which  God  has  so  graciously  pro- 
vided for  us.    It  is  not  a  matter  of  indifference 
whether  our  religion  is  conformed  to  the  model 
God  has  given  us.    It  becomes  a  crime  of  no  light 
degree  to  neglect  the  salvation  of  God's  appoint- 
ment—a salvation  purchased  at  so  dear  a  rate  as 
the  sacrifice  of  his  beloved  Son;— to  reject  (as 
all  who  neglect  this  salvation  virtually  do)  the 
only  Son  of  God,  given  as  the  greatest  benefit 
ever  conferred  on  mankind.    My  brethren,  I  en- 
treat you,  by  the  whole  scope  of  Revelation,  which 
tends  to  exalt  Christ  as  the  only  Saviour;  by  all 
the  great  and  glorious  things  which  are  related  of 
him  in  Scripture  ;  by  the  miraculous  powers  with 
which  he  was  endowed  ;  by  the  agony  and  pain 
of  his  most  precious  death ;  by  his  glorious  re- 
surrection and  ascension ;  by  the  coming  of  the 
Holy  Ghost  to  testify  of  him  ; — I  entreat  you,  by 
everything  which  was  held  dear  and  sacred  among 
the  primitive  Christians,  who  willingly  sealed 
their  attachment  to  him  by  their  blood; — think 
not  lightly  of  Him  who  was  wounded  for  our  trans- 
gressions, who  was  bruised  for  our  iniquities.  In 
our  estimation  of  Christ  there  can  be  no  medium. 
Either  he  must  be  All  in  All  in  our  esteem — our 
Propitiation,  our  Intercessor,  our  Redeemer,  our 
Saviour,  our  Life,  our  King,  our  Lord — or  he 
must  be  degraded  to  the  level  of  a  common  man  ; 
and,  in  this  case,  we  vainly  endeavour  to  free 


126 


OF  THE  SUFFERINGS 


oursdres  from  one  difiBculty,  by  encountering  a 
mnltitade  of  others  which  would  render  the  whole 
of  revelation  nugatory,  and  its  system  irrational. 
If  we  ascend  up  to  heaven,  and  place  ourselves 
before  the  dread  tribunal  of  Grod,  there  Jesus 
Christ  holds  the  same  rank  and  high  dignity  which 
he  claimed  upon  earth  : — there  the  angels  adore 
him  continually  : — there  he  sits  at  the  right  hand 
of  God^  in  all  the  honour  of  the  Divine  Majesty; 
— there  he  rules.  Lord  of  the  heaven  above  ;  the 
kejrs  of  death  and  hell  are  put  into  his  hands;  he 
openeth,  and  no  man  shutteth ;  he  shutteth,  and 
no  man  openeth.  Now  he  offers  to  be  our  Al- 
mi^ty  Saviour :  O  let  none  here  be  found  at  that 
great  day  to  have  rejected  this  salvation ! 

Would  you,  then,  pay  due  respect  to  the  Sa- 
viour, the  foundation  must  be  laid  in  a  deep  sense 
of  your  need  of  salvation,  and  in  a  clear  view  of 
your  obligatiims  to  him.    When  tbe  soul  k  pro- 
perly sensiUe  of  its  wesdoMss,  its  miworthroess, 
its  defilement,  its  inability  to  do  any  thing  good, 
it  wiU  receive  with  joy  the  glad  tidings  that  God 
has  provided  a  Saviour,  even  his  only  begotten 
Sob.   Then  will  He  be  the  principal  object  in  our 
esteem.    No  words  will  be  strcmg  enou^  to  ex- 
pcess  our  gratitude  to  Him  and  to  the  Father. 
We  shall  humbly  place  our  trust  and  confidence 
on  him:  we  shall  commit  our  souls  into  his  handr: 
we  shall  rest  with  holy  hope  on  his  promises  :  we 
dntHfeel  an  inexpressible  love  to  his  name :  we 
shall  consider  ourselves  as  no  longer  our  own,  but 
his ;  bound  to  serve  him  with  our  bodies  and  souls, 
which  are  his :  we  shall  cheerfully  make  every 
sacrifice  which  he  requires,  and  comply  readily 


OF  THE  SON  OF  GOD. 


127 


with  every  precept  he  gives  us.  His  love  will 
constrain  us  to  a  ready,  impartial,  and  constant 
obedience.  His  mercy  will  elevate  our  highest 
hopes.  His  goodness  will  gild  the  whole  scene 
of  life.  Christ  will  be  all  in  all  to  us.  Daily  shall 
we  make  application  to  him  for  wisdom,  grace, 
and  strength  ;  and  daily  shall  we  praise  him  for 
the  communication  of  his  grace,  and  the  hopes  of 
his  glory.  In  a  word,  we  shall  possess  anew  life 
in  Christ ;  old  things  will  have  passed  away — our 
careless,  superficial,  cold  form  of  religion — and 
all  things  will  have  become  new  ;  and  all  things 
will  be  "  of  God,  who  hath  reconciled  us  to  him- 
self by  Jesus  Christ."  For  he  hath  made  him 
who  knew  no  sin  to  be  sin  for  us,  that  we  might 
be  made  the  righteousness  of  God  in  him." 

This  day,  this  all-important  day,  on  which  we 
celebrate  the  grandest  and  most  interesting  trans- 
action which  ever  took  place  in  this  theatre  of 
the  world,  ought  strongly  to  direct  our  thoughts 
to  the  nature  and  end  of  that  great  event.  May 
the  Prophet's  view  of  it  be  ours,  while,  with 
mingled  emotions  of  wonder,  love,  and  joy,  we 
contemplate  the  Son  of  God  wounded  for  our 
transgressions  and  bruised  for  our  iniquities ! 
With  the  Apostle,  may  we  exclaim,  as  we  reflect 
en  the  length  and  breadth,  the  height  and  depth 
of  the  love  of  Christ  here  manifested,  God  for- 
bid that  I  should  glory^  save  in  the  cross  of  Christ, 
by  whom  I  am  crucified  to  the  world  and  the 
world  to  me !  "  And,  with  the  whole  chorus  of 
angels,  and  the  spirits  of  the  just  made  perfect  in 
heaven,  may  we  say,  with  unutterable  gratitude 
and  affection,     Worthy  is  the  Lamb  that  was 


128  OF  THE  SUFFERINGS  OF  CHRIST. 

slain  to  receive  power,  and  riches,  and  wisdom, 
and  strength,  and  honour,  and  glory,  and  bless- 
ing;  for  Thou  wast  slain,  and  hast  redeemed  us 
to  God  by  thy  blood,  and  hast  made  us  kings 
and  priests  unto  our  God.  Blessing,  and  honour, 
and  glory,  and  power,  be  unto  Him  that  sitteth 
on  the  throne,  and  unto  the  Lamb,  for  ever  and 
ever."  Amen, 


129 


SERMON  IX. 

ON  THE  PEACE  ARISING  FROM  TRUST  IN  GOD. 
ISAIAH  XXVi.  3. 

Thou  wilt  keep  him  in  perfect  peace  whose  mind  is 
stayed  on  thee,  because  he  trusteth  in  thee. 

It  might  be  thought,  that,  in  a  world  so  full  of 
troubles  and  evils  as  the  present,  a  proposal  to 
keep  the  mind  in  perfect  peace  would  be  received 
w^ith  serious  attention  at  the  least ;  with  eager- 
ness, if  it  promised  to  be  successful ;  and,  if  made 
in  the  name  and  by  the  authority  of  God,  with 
the  most  confident  expectation  of  the  blessing. 
Nothing  can  be  more  evident  than  that  men 
stand  greatly  in  need  of  a  support  upon  which 
to  rest  their  troubled  minds.  All  are  exposed 
to  distress  in  various  ways  ; — from  severe  and 
painful  disappointments  ;  from  still  more  serious 
calamities  ;  and  from  fears  and  forebodings  of 
evil,  which  are  often  as  painful  as  the  realities 
themselves.  Nay,  a  very  considerable  number 
are  actually  suffering  under  trials  which  threaten 
continually  to  overwhelm  them.  Peace  is  more 
or  less  a  stranger  to  the  bosom  of  them  all. 
They  live  in  a  state  of  restless  agitation,  far, 
very  far,  from  the  calm  and  quiet  which  they 
crave  ;  and  yet,  even  in  this  state  of  mind,  there 

VOL.  II.  K 


130 


peace:  arising 


are  but  few  who  will  give  that  welcome  to  the 
promises  of  the  .Bible  which,  froai  the  nature 
and  design  of  them,  we  might  so  reasonably  ex- 
pect. They  want  peace,  but  they  do  not  think 
of  finding  it  there.  I  speak  not  here  of  unbe- 
lievers, but  of  persons  who,  in  a  general  way, 
give  credit  to  the  revelation  of  God.  Many, 
even  of  these,  will  go  on  sorrowing  in  their  afflic- 
tions, without  hope,  as  if  there  were  really  no 
hope  for  them :  and,  while  the  short  and  sure 
road  to  peace  is  marked  out,  by  God  himself,  in 
the  Scriptures  ;  while  the  Gospel,  which  they 
hold  in  their  hands,  sets  the  object  of  their  wants 
and  wishes  in  full  view  before  them ;  they  make 
as  little  use  of  that  Gospel  in  their  distress,  have 
as  little  expectation  of  relief,  or  support,  or 
comfort  from  it,  as  if  they  were  infidels  and 
heathens.  The  fact  will  not  be  disputed ;  but 
how  must  it  be  accounted  for  ?  Chiefly,  I  con- 
ceive,  from  the  very  low  and  false  ideas  which 
men  entertain  of  the  nature  and  design  of  religion. 
They  do  not  consider  it  as  a  remedy  which  the 
mercy  of  God  provides  for  all  the  miseries  of  our 
condition.  They  view  it  not  as  his  manifestation 
of  grace  and  good-will  to  men,  but  rather  as  a 
system  of  painful  duties  which  he  requires  them 
to  discharge.  Looking  first  at  the  self-denial  and 
sacrifices  which  it  demands,  and  forming  their 
conceptions  of  its  nature  from  these  views,  they 
consider  it  rather  as  adding  to  their  burdens,  as 
calculated,  by  the  heavy  obligations  which  it 
imposes,  to  produce  deeper  gloom  and  more 
painful  anxiety,  and  thus  to  increase  and  aggra- 
vate their  distresses ;  than  as  contributing  in  any 


FROM  TRUST  IN  GOD. 


131 


way  to  their  consolation,  or  as  likely  to  promote 
the  peace  and  happiness  of  their  lives.  This  is 
indeed  the  impression  which  minds  corrupt  like 
ours  would  be  apt,  in  the  first  instance,  to  re- 
ceive from  so  pure  and  holy  a  religion.  Its  con- 
trariety to  their  own  nature  would  seem  to  afford 
but  little  hope  of  comfort ;  and  they  would,  of 
course,  be  but  little  inclined  to  look  for  comfort 
there. 

But,  O  ye  sons  and  daughters  of  affliction ! 
allow  me  to  present  religion  to  you  under  another 
aspect,  which  is  perhaps  new,  but  which  ought 
to  be  peculiarly  interesting  to  you. — I  propose  it 
as  the  best  and  surest  source  of  peace.  This, 
it  professes  to  be  :  let  it  be  our  part  to  make  the 
trial.  The  Scripture  declares,  that  God  will 
keep  that  man  in  perfect  peace  whose  mind  is 
stayed  on  him.  Give  credit  to  this  declaration. 
Do  not  practically  deny  the  truth  of  a  revelation 
which  you  profess  solemnly  to  believe.  Re- 
member, that  this  is  not  a  detached  and  solitary 
position.  It  is  not  one  passage  of  Scripture  only 
which  declares,  that  true  peace  is  to  be  found  by 
trusting  in  God  ;  but  the  doctrine  is  every  where 
interwoven  into  the  very  fabric  and  texture  of 
Divine  truth.  Happy  would  you  be  if  you  would 
give  entire  credit  to  it ! 

The  words  of  ray  text  naturally  suggest  three 
points  of  consideration  : 

I.  The  nature  of  the  duty  here  commend- 
ed,— that  of  staying  the  mind  on  God. 

II.  The  blessing  annexed  to  it, — a  state 
of  permanent  and  perfect  peace ; — and, 

III.  The  REASON  assigned  for  communicating 

K  2 


132 


PEACE  ARISING 


this  blessing, — because  confidence  is  placed  in 
God. 

My  chief  object  in  this  discourse  will  be  to 
explain  the  first  of  these;  namely,  the  nature 

OF  THE  DUTY  HERE  COMMENDED. 

To  Stay  the  mind  on  God,  is  to  trust  in  hini 
confidently  ;  to  repose  securely  on  his  care  and 
protection ;  to  be  persuaded  that  he  will  order 
and  appoint  all  things  well ;  to  place  a  firm  re- 
liance on  the  goodness  of  his  nature,  and  on  the 
certainty  of  his  over-ruling  providence. 

But  here  we  should  very  carefully  distinguish 
between  a  just  and  well-founded  confidence  in 
God,  and  a  confidence  not  just,  and  not  well- 
founded,  which  is  too  often  mistaken  for  it. 

Many  persons  entertain  a  kind  of  trust  in  God, 
neither  founded  on  the  principles  nor  warranted 
by  the  authority  of  Scripture.  They  conceive  of 
God  as  of  a  being  infinitely  kind  and  good,  who 
pities  the  miseries  of  his  creatures,  and,  though 
circumstances  may  not  admit  of  the  entire  re- 
moval of  them  at  present,  will  yet,  in  a  short 
time,  effect  his  gracious  purpose,  and  either 
make  amends  to  them  in  this  life  for  their  suflfer- 
ings,  or  give  them  ample  recompence  in  the  life 
to  come.  According  to  this  system,  therefore, 
there  is  evil  in  the  world,  which  seems  to  have 
sprung  up  independently,  as  it  were,  of  God,  the 
progress  of  which  he  is  continually  counteracting, 
and  will  ultimately  overcome,  though  time  must 
elapse  before  he  completes  the  triumph.  And 
the  duty  of  man  therefore  is,  to  suffer  with  pati- 
ence and  cheerfulness,  in  a  full  persuasion  of  the 


FROM  TRUST  IN  GQD. 


133 


power  and  goodness  of  his  Creator,  and  that  he 
will  make  all  things  work  for  good. 

This  system  is  the  more  dangerous,  because  it 
wears  the  mask  of  piety.  By  representing  God 
in  an  amiable  point  of  view,  as  a  most  gracious, 
benevolent  Being,  it  appears  as  if  framed  to  do 
him  honour,  while  it  is  in  fact  a  misrepresentation 
of  his  nature,  and  directly  contrary  to  the  cha- 
racter he  has  given  of  himself.  Being  well  suited 
to  a  sceptical  turn  of  mind,  it  is  a  favourite 
system  with  Deists  and  freethinkers  of  all  times. 
And  tending  necessarily  to  allay  all  apprehension 
of  God's  wrath,  and  to  prevent  all  remorse  or 
compunction  for  sin,  it  leads  men  quietly  on  in 
the  path  of  destruction,  even  while  they  flatter 
themselves  that  theirs  are  the  most  exalted  con- 
ceptions of  the  Deity,  and  the  only  just  views  of 
bis  religion. — Moreover,  it  is  no  novelty.  The 
error  of  the  Manichees,  an  heretical  sect  in  the 
early  ages  of  the  church,  was  at  bottom  very 
much  the  same.  It  supposed,  that  there  were 
two  beings,  or  principles,  of  contrary  qualities  and 
dispositions,  from  whose  contending  influence 
resulted  the  mixed  and  chequered  state  of  things 
on  earth — the  one  unhappy  and  malignant,  the 
author  of  all  the  evil  which  we  see ;  the  other 
blessed  and  benevolent,  continually  resisting  that 
evil,  and  author  of  all  the  good  which  prevails  in 
the  creation. 

Modern  infidels,  indeed,  have  dropped  the 
idea  of  two  independent  warring  powers ;  but 
they  still  account  for  the  evil  on  principles  much 
the  same,  as  originating  against  the  will  of  the 
supreme  and  merciful  Creator  ;  as  what  he  is 


134 


PEACE  ARISING 


continually  opposing,  and  will  certainly  at  last 
destroy.  They  do  not  look  upon  evil  as  inflicted 
immediately  by  God,  but  rather  as  an  imperfec- 
tion, the  ground  of  which  was  laid  in  the  very 
constitution  of  moral  beings  ;  and  which,  though 
it  cannot  be  entirely  prevented,  will  yet  be  gra- 
ciously over^ruled  in  the  issue,  to  the  production 
of  a  much  greater  degree  of  good. 

I  would  earnestly  warn  you,  my  brethren, 
against  admitting  any  representation  of  God,  as 
a  good  and  merciful  Being,  which  does  not 
clearly  and  fully  acknowledge  his  justice  also. — 
Of  the  Divine  goodness  it  is  impossible  to  form 
conceptions  too  high :  but  it  is  easy  to  form 
false  ones  ;  such  as  are  equally  contrary  to 
Scripture  and  to  fact,  and  such  as  are  of  dangerous 
tendency,  though  masked  under  a  specious  ap- 
pearance. His  justice  is  full  as  important  a  part 
of  his  character,  and  it  is  as  fully  manifested  to 
us.  To  trust  aright  in  God,  we  must  trust  in  a 
Being  such  as  God  is  described  to  us  in  Scripture; 
a  Being  holy,  and  angry  with  the  wicked ;  just 
in  punishing  transgression,  though  long-suffering 
and  of  great  goodness  to  those  who  seek  and 
serve  him.  Every  thing  in  our  religion  depends 
on  the  kind  of  Deity  which  we  frame  to  ourselves. 
Men  may  flatter  themselves  that  they  trust  in 
God,  when  they  trust  only  in  a  phantom  of  their 
own  imagination ;  a  being,  perhaps,  as  unlike 
the  God  of  Scripture,  as  the  Jove  of  the  ancients, 
the  Allah  of  the  Mohammedans,  the  Brama  of 
the  Hindoos,  or  the  Great  Spirit  of  the  American 
Indians. 

To  trust  in  God  aright,  is,*  also,  to  place  a 


FROM  TRUST  IN  GOD. 


135 


confidence  in  him  which  is  warranted  by  his  own 
word, — Having  just  ideas  of  his  nature,  we  must 
take  care  that  we  expect  nothing  from  him 
which  his  word  has  not  warranted  us  to  believe 
he  will  do. 

If  a  man  depends  upon  him  for  that  which  he 
has  not  promised,  such  a  confidence  is  likely  to 
end  in  disappointment,  and  so  to  produce  mis- 
trust and  infidelity,  instead  of  cherishing  faith,  or 
promoting  a  pious  frame  of  mind.  Many  there 
are  who  trust  in  God  to  deliver  them  from  their 
temporal  distresses — from  pain,  from  sickness,  or 
from  death — who  have  no  warrant  from  Scrip- 
ture for  any  such  expectations.  And  these  per- 
sons, when  disappointed,  are  ready  to  reflect  on 
the  blessed  Promiser  as  unfaithful  to  his  word  ; 
to  feel  towards  him  as  if  he  deluded  his  suffering 
creatures ;  and,  having  invited  them  to  rely  on 
him  for  relief,  only  raised  their  hopes  in  order  to 
aggravate  their  sorrows. 

But  how  far  then,  it  may  be  asked,  and  for 
what  purposes,  may  we  trust  in  God  ? 

Here  the  first  thing  to  be  considered  is, 
whether  we  have  a  right  to  trust  in  him  at  all  ; 
in  other  words,  whether  we  are  interested  in  the 
covenant  of  grace  which  he  has  made  with  those 
who  believe  in  Christ  Jesus. 

Confidence  in  another,  is  founded  either  upon 
his  general  character,  or  upon  some  express  pro- 
mise which  he  has  given.  Now  we,  who  are 
sinners,  can  have  no  access  to  God,  and  can  ex- 
pect no  favour  from  him,  except  on  the  terms  of 
that  covenant  of  peace  which  he  has  made  with 
us  in  his  Son  our  Saviour.    Upon  that  covenant, 


136 


PEACE  ARISING 


therefore,  we  must  repose  our  trust ;  keeping  it 
always  in  mind,  that  as  without  this  we  could 
have  no  claim  to  his  blessings  at  all,  so  our  claim 
to  them  depends  on  our  possessing  the  characters 
to  which  they  are  promised  in  Scripture.  Of 
these  promises,  some  are  general — belonging  to 
every  member  of  the  visible  church ;  indeed,  to 
all  mankind,  who  will  hear,  receive,  and  apply 
for  them; — such  as,  that  they  who  ask  shall 
have  ;  that  they  who  seek  shall  find ;  and  that 
to  them  who  knock  it  shall  be  opened."  Re- 
turn unto  me,  and  I  will  return  unto  you,  saith 
the  Lord."  Look  unto  me,  and  be  ye  saved, 
all  the  ends  of  the  earth." — Such  promises  as 
these  are  made  without  restriction.  Upon  them 
any  man  may  safely  rely ;  that  is,  he  may  be 
assured,  that,  if  he  desires,  so  as  heartily  to  solicit 
them,  his  request  shall  be  granted,  and  the 
blessing  bestowed.  He  who  cometh,"  that  is, 
whosoever  cometh  to  Christ,  shall  in  no  wise  be 
cast  out." — But  the  greater  number  are  of  a  less 
extensive  kind  of  promises,  made  only  to  be- 
lievers ;  to  those  who  receive  the  truth  in  the 
love  of  it,  and  have  experienced  its  power  and 
virtue  in  the  soul.  Thus  it  is  promised,  that 
**  the  Lord  will  be  a  sun  and  a  shield,"  that 
**  there  shall  be  no  want  to  them  that  fear  him," 
and  that  he  will  make  all  things  work  together 
for  their  good."  There  is  encouragement  for 
men  to  cast  their  burdens  upon  the  Lord,  with 
full  assurance  of  support.  There  is  hope  given 
of  direction  in  difficulties,  of  final  victory  over 
sin,  and  release  from  sorrow  ;  of  peace  in  death, 
and  eternal  blessedness  beyond  it.  As  it  respects 


FROM  TRUST  IN  GOD. 


137 


this  class,  we  have,  of  course,  no  claim,  and  can 
indulge  no  reasonable  expectation,  till  we  have 
ground  (such  as  the  Scripture  itself  will  allow) 
to  judge  ourselves  true  disciples  of  the  Redeemer, 
possessing  the  seal  and  witness  of  his  Spirit,  and 
interested  in  all  the  fulness  of  the  blessings  of  the 
Gospel  of  peace. — Nay,  many  promises  have  a 
still  further  restriction  ;  and  are  addressed,  not 
to  believers  in  general,  but  to  such  only  as  excel 
in  some  specific  grace,  or  are  exemplary  in  some 
duty  of  the  Christian  life ;  as  to  the  meek,  to  the 
faithful,  to  the  merciful,  to  the  liberal.  And  for 
want  of  attending  to  this,  good  men  themselves 
may  be  disappointed,  nay  even  be  deeply  dis- 
couraged, because  promises  are  not  made  good 
to  them  which,  in  reality,  were  given  to  a  dispo- 
sition, or  a  course  of  conduct,  which  is  not  yet 
theirs.  The  great  point,  however,  is  to  be  true 
disciples  of  Christ.  What,  then,  is  implied  in 
this  ? 

It  is  implied,  in  the  first  place,  that  we  have 
come  to  him  as  guilty  sinners,  to  be  cleansed  by 
his  blood  from  all  the  guilt  and  defilement  of  sin; 
that  we  are  looking  to  him  alone  for  salvation  ; 
placing  no  confidence  in  our  duties  or  our  merits, 
but  relying  solely  upon  the  Son  of  God  as  our 
Saviour  and  our  Advocate  with  his  Father  in 
heaven. 

In  the  next  place,  it  is  supposed  that  we  are 
living  with  a  steady  eye  to  the  precepts  and  or- 
dinances of  Christ ;  maintaining  a  constant  inter- 
course and  communion  with  him  in  prayer ; 
treasuring  up  his  word  in  our  hearts  ;  setting  his 
example  before  us  as  our  pattern ;  and  endea- 


1S8 


PEACE  ARISIITG 


Foaring  that  oar  whole  life  may  be  a  life  of  hith 
io  him.  Unless  this  be  the  case,  we  are  evidently 
iK>t  his  true  disciples ;  we  have  Deither  pari  nor 
lot  '*  in  him ;  and,  therefore,  cannot  be  entitled  to 
the  blessii^  which  belong  to  his  people. 

Bat  whoever  does  thus  po&sess  a  sincere  faith 
m  Christ,  and  is  uprightly  endeavouring  to  serve 
him,  has  a  title  to  trust  God,  according  to  the 
terms  of  his  covenant,  for  all  to  which  he  stands 
pledged  in  behalf  of  true  believers :  and  it  is  the 
indisprasable  duty  of  such  persons  to  place  this 
warranted  triKt  and  confidence  in  him  ;  as  mudi 
so  as  to  beware  of  expectations  which  have  no 
warrant.  It  is  never  promised  in  the  Gospel,  for 
instance,  that  the  disciples  of  Christ  should  be 
exempt  £rom  sufferings.  They  mast  not,  there- 
fore, trust  in  God  for  this.  Indeed,  it  is  rather 
intimated  that  they  shall  have  a  large  share  of 
them.  Christ  and  all  his  apostles  were  great  and 
constant  sufferers  while  they  abode  in  this  evil 
«add:  and  the  disciples  must  tread  in  their 
fltefis — like  them,  be  made  perfect  by  sufferings. 
Such  snfferngs  are  part  of  the  dispensation  cf 
grace,  and  to  be  considered  on  account  of  their 
salutary  influence)  as  proofs  of  the  parental  care 
and  affection  of  the  Most  High :  "  for  what  son 
is  he  whom  the  Father  chasteneth  not  t  But 
they  may  confidently  trust  that  in  all  their  suf- 
fiehngs  they  shall  be  supported  :  that  their  trials 
will  not  be  greats  than  they  are  able  to  bear ; 
and  that  all  which  are  appointed  for  them  shall 
isne  in  their  good — that  is,  in  thm  spiritual  good, 
which  ought  to  be  esteemed  not  only  the  first, 
but  the  only  real  good.    They  may  trust  confi- 


FROM  TKUST  IN  GOD. 


139 


dently  that  their  Saviour  will  be  present  with 
them,  and  sanctify  all  to  them  ;  that  the  trial  of 
their  faith,  though  it  be  tried  by  fire,  shall  be 
found  unto  praise,  and  honour,  and  glory  at  the 
coming  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  They  may 
hope,  without  danger  of  disappointment,  that,  as 
the  outward  man  decayeth,  the  inward  man  will 
flourish  more  and  more;  and  that,  as  they  are 
more  destitute  of  earthly  consolations,  they  will 
enjoy  more  of  those  which  are  heavenly.  • 
Such  a  confidence  in  God  they  may  justly  en- 
tertain with  respect  to  all  present  difficulties  and 
trials.  Nor  do  I  deny  that  a  reasonable  hope 
may  be  indulged,  though  not  perhaps  so  firm  an 
assurance,  of  something  more  than  this  :  for  the 
goodness  of  God  is  so  great,  and  he  is  so  rich  in 
mercy  and  bountiful  in  blessing,  that  there  are 
many  things  which  we  may  humbly  expect  from 
him,  even  beyond  what  he  has  expressly  pro- 
mised. He  is  accustomed  to  do  exceeding  abun- 
dantly for  his  people,  above  all  that  they  can 
ask  or  think.  His  faithful  servants  may  therefore 
hope  (though  not  with  such  confidence  as  for  a 
promised  blessing  — they  may  hope,  however,) 
that  he  will  grant  them  many  tokens  of  his  care 
and  love ;  as,  that  he  will  spare  some  beloved 
object  at  their  request ;  will  bestow  on  them 
some  needful  comfort,  or  deliver  them  from  some 
irksome  trial.  They  may  pray  for  these  things  ; 
and,  when  they  consider  the  character  of  their 
God,  to  whose  goodness  no  limits  can  be  as- 
signed, they  may  cherish  a  reasonable  expecta- 
tion that  their  prayers  will  not  be  in  vain.  What 
a  scope  and  range  does  this  inexhaustible  bounty, 


140 


PEACE  ARISING 


this  paternal  tenderness,  afford  for  the  humble, 
unpresuming  hope  of  a  believer!  Yes:. let  us 
always  approach  God  as  the  most  bountiful  of 
beings  ;  let  us  always  look  up  to  him  as  the  most 
tender  of  parents:  and  be  assured  that  no  good 
thing  will  be  withheld  from  them  that  fear  him." 

Such  confidence,  then,   and  such  reasonable 
hope  in  God,  may  be  entertained  by  every  real 
Christian,  with  respect  to  temporal  things.  But 
let  it  be  ever  remembered,  that  all  temporal 
blessings  whatsoever  are,  on  the  very  first  prin- 
ciples of  our  religion,  to  hold  only  a  very  subor- 
dinate place  in  our  esteem.     It  is  the  object  of 
Christ  to  wean  his  people  from  all  which  is 
transitory  and  earthly,  in  order  that  their  aflfec- 
tions  may  be  fixed  upon  enjoyments  which  are 
pure,  substantial,  and  eternal.    The  promise  of 
all  temporal  blessings,  therefore,  is  limited,  is 
conditional,  is  general ;  but  the  promises  of  spi- 
ritual blessings — the  best  blessings,  in  the  esti- 
mation of  Christ,  the  only  blessings  which  can 
truly  be  considered  as  important  —  these  are 
offered  much  more  freelv,  much  more  full  v.  We 
are  allowed  to  hope  in  God  for  many  temporal 
mercies  ;  but  we  are  encouraged,  we  are  ex- 
pected, we  are  commanded  to  look,  not  only  with 
hope,  but  with  certain  expectation,  for  all  spiri- 
tual blessings  which  we  may  need.    On  hira, 
therefore  we  may  rely  confidently,  in  the  use  of 
the  appomted  means,  to  grant  us  grace  that  we 
may  overcome  the  world,  the  flesh,  and  the 
devil;  grace  that  we  may  withstand  all  temp- 
tations; grace  to  glorify  and  serve  our  Redeemer, 
by  a  life  and  conduct  becoming  our  Christian 


FROM  TRUST  IN  GOD. 


141 


profession ;  grace  to  die  in  faith  and  Christian 
hope,  and  to  enjoy  a  blissful  immortality.  For 
these  we  may  trust  God  confidently  :  and  if  we 
can  trust  him  here,  there  is  little  of  any  other 
kind  the  loss  of  which  needs  to  give  us  much 
disturbance. 

The  Christian,  then,  who  stays  his  soul  upon 
God,  is  one  who  entertains  just  and  noble  con- 
ceptions of  the  nature  and  character  of  the  Being 
on  whom  he  depends.  He  knows  that  he  is  a  just 
and  holy  Being;  that  he  requires  all  his  creatures 
to  be  holy;  and  that  he  sent  his  Son  into  the 
world  to  make  expiation  for  sin,  and  to  purify 
to  himself  a  peculiar  people,  zealous  of  good 
works."  He  knows  himself  also  to  be  a  mise- 
rable sinner,  unworthy  of  any  favour  or  notice 
from  God;  but  he  knows  also  that  Christ  has 
made  reconciliation  for  iniquity,  and  that  he 
delights  to  confer  blessings  on  his  people,  for 
the  sake  of  his  beloved  Son,  in  whom  he  is 
well  pleas.ed."  He  looks  forward,  therefore,  with 
the  most  cheerful  confidence,  to  all  the  future 
events  of  life.  Whatever  they  be,  he  knows 
they  will  be  well  ordered  ;  such  as  will  tend 
ultimately  to  promote  his  best  interests,  and  to 
glorify  the  name  of  Christ.  If  afl[lictions  are  ap- 
pointed, they  will  not  be  appointed  unneces- 
sarily :  they  will  be  ordered  in  number,  weight, 
and  measure ;  they  will  either  be  proportioned  to 
the  strength  and  faith  which  we  have,  or  God  will 
give  us  more  grace.  He  will  be  with  us  in  the 
midst  of  them  :  he  will  neither  leave  us  nor  for- 
sake us  in  the  hour  of  need  ;  but,  on  the  contrary, 
will  then  be  more  especially  present  with  us;  will 


142 


PEACE  AKISING 


support  and  cheer  us  with  spiritual  consolations, 
and  convert  what  would  be  else  a  severe  calamity, 
into  a  gracious  and  profitable  visitation,  calcu- 
lated to  purify  the  soul,  to  endue  it  with  all 
spiritual  blessings,  and  to  manifest  the  kindness 
of  parental  love. 

This  is  the  proper  affiance  of  a  believer  ;  and 
it  is  frequently  and  beautifully  expressed  by  the 
holy  men  whose  acts  are  recorded,  for  our  ex- 
ample and  instruction,  in  the  Sacred  Writings. 
— In  the  Lord  put  I  my  trust:  why  say  ye 
then  to  my  soul,  that  she  should  flee  as  a  bird  to 
the  hills  ?    The  Lord  will  be  a  refuge  for  the  op- 
pressed, a  refuge  in  times  of  trouble :  therefore 
will  we  not  fear  though  the  earth  be  removed,  and 
though  the  mountains  be  carried  into  the  midst 
of  the  sea ;  though  the  waters  thereof  roar  and 
be  troubled,  though  the  mountains  shake  with  the 
swelling  thereof.    There  is  a  river  the  streams 
whereof  shall  make  glad  the  city  of  God :  God 
is  in  the  midst  of  her  ;  she  shall  not  be  moved  : 
God  shall  help  her,  and  that  right  early.  They 
that  know  thy  name  will  put  their  trust  in  thee, 
for  thou  hast  not  forsaken  those  that  seek  thee. 
O  Lord  God  of  hosts,  blessed  is  the  man  who 
trusteth  in  thee.     Our  fathers  trusted  in  thee, 
and  thou  didst  deliver  them  :  they  cried  unto 
thee,  and  were  delivered.    Because  thou  hast 
been  my  help,  therefore  in  the  shadow  of  thy 
wings  will  I  rejoice.    I  am  continually  with  thee. 
Thou  has  holden  me  by  thy  right  hand.  Thou 
shalt  guide  me  by  thy  counsel,  and  afterwards 
receive  me  to  glory." 


FROM  TRUST  IN  GOD. 


143 


I  have  thus  endeavoured  to  fulfil  my  chief  ob- 
ject in  this  discourse,  which  was  to  illustrate  the 
nature  of  Christian  confidence.  I  cannot,  how- 
ever, conclude,  without  a  word  or  two  on  the 
blessing  here  annexed  to  it,  and  the  reason  named 
for  communicating  that  blessing. 

It  is  plain  the  man  who  trusts  in  God  will  be 
kept  in  perfect  peace;  for  what  can  disturb  him? 
Can  any  troubles  assail  him,  which  the  Lord  has 
not  appointed,  or  under  which  he  cannot  support 
him  ?    It  may  be  justly  observed,  that  the  con- 
templation of  God's  greatness  tends  to  level  the 
inequalities  of  all  finite  things.    The  distinction 
of  great  and  little  vanishes,  when  the  immensity 
of  his  nature  and  attributes  is  before  us.  And 
thus,  while  we  contemplate  him,  and  stay  our 
souls  upon  him  for  support,  the  trials  to  which 
we  may  be  exposed  appear,  in  this  view,  to  be  all 
on  an  exact  equality  :  there  is  not  one  which  we 
can  select,  and  say  it  will  be  too  hard  for  us,  in 
his  strength.    Nor,  on  the  other  hand,  is  there 
one  blessing  which  he  has  allowed  us  to  hope  for, 
of  which  we  can  even  imagine  that  it  is  too  much 
to  expect  from  him.    Any  thing  is  too  much  to 
be  expected,  while  we  look  at  ourselves :  nothing, 
while  we  look  to  God  through  Christ.  The  faith, 
therefore,  of  a  Christian  may  overlook  all  distinc- 
tions, and  rest  its  dependence  on  Almighty  Power, 
on  Inexhaustible  Bounty,  on  Infinite  Goodness,  on 
Immeasurable  Love  !   What  peace  must  not  this 
convey  to  the  soul !  What  a  contrast  to  that  fret- 
ting anxiety  of  the  mind,  when  it  is  ever  in  dread 
of  approaching  evils ;  when  it  shrinks  in  vain 
from  them,  and  looks  round  in  vain  to  escape 


144 


PEACF.  ARISING 


them  ;  when  it  builds  what  hope  it  has  upon  the 
sand,  and  finds  the  edifice  continually  tottering 
to  its  base  ;  when  it  has  nothing  stable,  nothing 
unchangeable,  nothing  out  of  the  reach  of  storms 
and  tempests,  on  which  it  can  repose;  no  delight- 
ful acquiescence  in  the  dispensations  of  a  wise 
and  gracious  Providence ;  no  cheering  views  of 
the  goodness  and  mercy  that  surround  us ;  no 
resting-place  upon  the  bosom  of  a  Father's  love! 
Wretched  indeed  is  the  state  of  such  a  mind  !  It 
is  like  the  bark  which  has  lost  its  anchors  and 
its  helm,  the  sport  of  changing  winds  and  waves ; 
tossed  here  and  there  on  a  vast  and  trackless 
ocean,  yet  never  approaching  the  haven  it  de- 
sires :  while  he  who  firmly  trusts  in  God,  is  like 
one  sitting  securely  on  the  summit  of  a  rock, 
where  he  beholds  unmoved  the  swelling  of  the 
billows  and  the  fury  of  the  tempest  which  rages 
at  his  feet  in  vain. 

We  must  observe  here,  that  it  is  said,  Thou 
wilt  keep  him  in  perfect  peace."  The  solid  peace 
and  tranquillity  which  a  faithful  disciple  of  Christ 
enjoys,  is  not  merely  the  effect  of  his  principles ; 
it  is  the  gift  of  God.  It  is  God  who  watches  over 
him; 'who  communicates  peace  to  him;  who 
suggests  considerations  proper  to  ensure  it;  who 
delivers  the  mind  from  all  vain  alarms.  However 
excellent  our  principles  may  be,  the  application 
of  them  to  our  own  circumstances  is  the  point  of 
most  importance  to  us.  And  this  application 
depends  not  always  upon  ourselves.  If  our  secu- 
rity is  founded  upon  the  care  and  providence  of 
God,  he  will  take  care  that  those  who  trust  him 
shall  be  kept  in  perfect  peace.    Blessed  are  they 


FROM  TRUST  IN  GOD. 


145 


who  are  thus  kept  by  the  Almighty :  of  them  it 
may  be  truly  said,  Because  thou  hast  made  the 
Lord  thy  refuge,  even  the  Most  High  thy  habita- 
tion, there  shall  no  evil  befal  thee,  nor  shall  any 
plague  come  nigh  thy  dwelling.  For  he  shall  give 
his  angels  charge  over  thee,  to  keep  thee  in  all 
thy  ways." 

This  peace  which  God  gives  is  called  a  perfect 
peace,  from  the  nature  of  it,  rather  than  on  ac- 
count of  its  degree.  It  is  a  peace  which  is  per- 
fect, when  compared  with  the  peace  of  the  world ; 
perfect,  as  having  a  foundation  which  cannot  be 
moved ;  perfect,  as  far  as  the  faith  from  which  it 
springs  is  perfect.  It  does  not,  however,  follow 
that  this  faith  may  not  sometimes  fail ;  nor  that 
this  peace  may  not  partake  of  the  imperfection  of 
the  vessel  which  contains  it.  But  even  here  we 
may  trust  to  the  mercy  of  God.  Faith  is  his 
gift.  He  is  the  Author  and  Finisher  of  it.  While 
Peter's  faith  was  strong,  it  produced  its  complete 
effect ;  he  walked  upon  the  waters  :  but  as  soon 
as  his  faith  failed,  he  began  to  sink.  Yet  still, 
when  he  cried  unto  the  Lord  in  his  trouble,  he 
delivered  him  out  of  his  distress  :  the  arm  of 
the  Almighty  was  extended,  and  his  sinking  ser- 
vant saved.  And  this  peace  is  communicated  to 
him  who  trusteth  in  God,  simply  because  he 
trusteth  in  him. 

Faith  gives  glory  to  God  ;  and  this,  perhaps, 
is  the  reason  why  he  has  made  it  the  instrument 
of  conveying  to  us  so  many  and  so  great  bless- 
ings. It  is  evidently  the  design  of  Revelation  to 
lead  men  to  glorify  God ;  to  honour  him  as  the 
source,  and  the  only  source,  of  all  good  ;  and  to 

VOL.  II.  L 


146  PEACE  FROM  TRUST  IN  GOD. 

humble  the  pride  of  man,  and  stain  all  his  boast- 
ed glory.  On  this  account  it  is,  that  even  where 
peace  is  granted  to  man,  it  is  granted  to  him  by- 
means  of  trust  in  God,  and  on  account  of  this 
confidence  in  him.  Thus  all  the  glory  is  ascribed 
to  God ;  and  if  the  dispensations  of  God  in  this 
world  are  ordered  and  appointed  with  a  view  of 
preparing  us  for  a  higher  and  purer  state,  there 
is,  perhaps,  no  point  which  is  of  more  conse- 
quence for  us  thoroughly  to  understand  and  be 
acquainted  with,  than  the  glory  of  God,  as  the 
only  source  of  all  wisdom  and  good. 


J47 

SERMON  X. 

ON  BEARING  THE  CROSS,  AND  FOLLOWING  CHRIST. 
LUKE  Xiv.  27. 

Jnd  whosoever  doth  not  bear  his  cross,  and  come 
after  me,  cannot  be  my  disciple. 

Our  Lord  spake  these  words  on  the  occasion 
of  his  beholding  the  great  multitudes  which  fol- 
lowed him.  It  is  as  if  he  had  said,  Think  not, 
that,  because  you  press  to  hear  me  and  extol  my 
works,  you  are  therefore  entitled  to  the  blessings 
of  my  kingdom  :  much  more  than  this  is  required 
of  those  who  are  my  disciples  indeed.  My  disciple 
must  prefer  me  to  father,  and  mother,  and  wife, 
and  children,  and  brethren,  and  sisters,  yea,  to 
his  own  life.  '  If  any  man  come  after  me,  and 
hate  not  his  father  ' — that  is,  if  he  do  not  regard 
his  father  with  a  love  comparatively  less  than  his 
love  to  me — '  and  mother,  and  wife,  and  children, 
and  brethren,  and  sisters,  yea,  and  his  own  life 
also,  he  cannot  be  my  disciple.'  And  such  is  the 
sinful  state  of  the  world,  that  every  follower  of 
mine  will  be  actually  called  upon  to  shew  that  he 
has  this  decided  preference  for  me.  He  must 
take  up  his  cr^oss''  This  expression  has  reference 
to  the  custom  of  making  the  malefactor  carry  his 
cross  to  the  place  of  execution.       He  must  be 

L  % 


148  ON  BEAHING  THE  CROSS, 

willing  to  suffer  both  in  person  and  reputation. 
He  must  follow  me,  follow  me  in  his  spirit  and  in 
his  conduct,  and  be  partaker  of  the  treatment  I 
meet  with."  And  since  the  profession  of  the  Gospel 
thus  implied  pain  and  self-denial,  he  required  his 
followers  to  consider  before-hand  whether  they 
were  able  to  submit  to  the  suffering!  Let  him 
sit  down  first  and  count  the  cost." 

This  subject  leads  us  to  consider  what  it  was, 
in  the  religion  of  Christ,  which  so  remarkably  re- 
quired his  disciples  to  bear  their  cross.  That  a 
spirit  of  opposition  to  Christ,  and  a  severe  per- 
secution of  him  and  his  followers,  arose,  we  all 
know;  but  how  was  this  excited?  What  was 
there  in  the  nature  of  the  Gospel  which  so  un- 
avoidably produced  hostility  ?  In  what  points 
was  it  so  contrary  to  the  spirit  of  the  world,  that 
men  would  not  bear  it ;  and  that  such  a  fortitude 
and  indifference  to  character  were  requisite  in 
those  who  embraced  it,  as  might  be  justly  com- 
pared to  the  taking  up  of  our  cross  and  carry- 
ing it  ? 

It  may  be  thought  by  some  a  sufficient  reply, 
that  Christ  propagated  a  new  religion,  and  that 
his  attack  on  the  prevailing  prejudices  of  men 
could  not  fail  to  provoke  opposition.  But  this  is 
not  a  complete  answer ;  for  it  is  not  certain  that 
because  a  man  propagates  a  new  religion  he  must 
be  hated.  Much  depends  on  the  nature  of  the 
religion  which  he  introduces  :  it  may  be  weak  and 
futile,  and  then  might  only  be  neglected  ;  it  may 
be  absurd,  and  might  be  ridiculed  ;  it  may  accord 
with  worldly  wisdom  and  policy,  and  then  might 
be  approved ;  it  may  be  elegant  and  refined,  and 


AND  FOLLOWING  CHRIST.  149 

might  excite  the  admiration  of  many  persons. 
Our  Lord,  indeed,  did  not  establish  a  religion 
altogether  new,  yet  was  he  persecuted  and  op- 
posed. He  professed  his  full  belief  in  the  Reve- 
lation given  by  Moses ;  he  had  been  circumcised, 
and  had  carefully  observed  the  precepts  of  the 
Law,  both  moral  and  ceremonial.  No  one  was  a 
more  punctual  attendant  at  the  temple  and  in 
the  synagogue;  no  one  spake  more  respectfully 
of  the  Law  and  the  Prophets ;  and  his  disciples 
were  remarkable  for  an  attachment  to  the  Mosaic 
ritual,  which  even  all  their  proficiency  in  the 
religion  of  their  Master  was  scarcely  able  to  do 
away. 

Doubtless  several  causes  tended  to  produce 
opposition  to  Christ  and  to  his  Apostles,  causes 
varying  at  different  times  or  in  different  ages. 
The  great  cause  was,  the  general  contrariety  of 
the  genius  of  his  religion  to  the  common  spirit 
and  temper  of  the  world  :  it  was  the  opposition 
of  sin  to  piety.  Hence  men  of  many  religions 
agreed  in  their  hostility  to  our  Lord  and  to  his 
disciples.  The  hypocritical  Pharisees,  the  proud 
Scribes,  the  profane  Sadducees,  the  corrupt  mul- 
titude, hated  him,  though  a  Jew,  and  though  he 
asserted  the  truth  of  their  Scriptures  and  the 
honour  of  their  Prophets.  He  was  equally  op- 
posed by  the  corrupt  Heathens.  On  the  other 
hand,  we  do  not  hear  of  any  truly  pious  persons 
amongst  the  Jews,  or  of  peculiarly  well-disposed 
individuals  among  the  Heathens,  rejecting  Christ 
with  disdain  or  abhorrence.  These  honoured 
him.  A  devout  Nicodemus,  an  upright  Natha- 
niel, a  religious  Centurion,  who  was  not  a  Jew, 


150 


ON  BEARING  THE  CROSS, 


paid  respect  to  him,  and  were  prepared  to  re* 
ceive  his  word. 

If  we  inquire  what  was  the  kind  of  self-denial 
inculcated  by  our  Lord,  we  shall  find  that  it  had 
respect  to  the  desir,e  of  wealth,  the  love  of  fame, 
and  general  self-indulgence.  When  he  explained 
to  the  Apostles  the  sufferings  which  he  should 
undergo,  and  Peter  began  to  rebuke  him,  saying, 

Be  it  far  from  thee,  Lord ;  this  shall  not  be  unto 
thee  ;  "  he  reproved  Peter,  saying,  Get  thee  be- 
hind me,  Satan :  thou  art  an  offence  unto  me;  for 
thou  savourest  not  the  things  that  be  of  God,  but 
those  that  be  of  men."  He  added,  Whosoever 
will  come  after  me,  let  him  deny  himself,  and  take 
up  his  cross  daily  and  follow  me."  Let  him  re- 
nounce a  life  of  care  and  worldly  distraction,  and 
prepare  to  suffer,  if  it  be  the  will  of  God.  Having 
spoken  of  the  corrupt  lusts  natural  to  man,  he 
adds,  If  thy  right  hand  offend  thee,  cut  it  off 
and  cast  it  from  thee ;  and  if  thy  right  eye  offend 
thee,  pluck  it  out  and  cast  it  from  thee  ; that  is, 
Subdue  your  passions,  mortify  your  corrupt  in- 
clinations, though  they  be  as  dear  to  you  as  a 
right  hand  or  a  right  eye.  Part  with  them,  how- 
ever painful  the  separation  may  be. 

The  religion  of  Jesus  Christ  had,  therefore,  no 
charms  for  a  worldly,  proud,  and  sinful  heart. 
It  gave  scope  to  no  ambitious  thoughts ;  it  grati- 
fied no  evil  passion  ;  it  tolerated  no  beloved  sin  ; 
it  enjoined  poverty  of  spirit,  deadness  to  the 
world,  and  self-mortification.  It  called  the  affec- 
tions to  things  above,  and  required  the  interest 
of  others  to  be  preferred  to  our  own.  It  insisted 
upon  the  forgiveness  of  injuries  :    If  thine  enemy 


AND  FOLLOWING  CHRIST.  151 

hunger,  feed  him;  if  he  be  naked,  clothe  him."  It 
made  Christian  greatness  consist  in  a  more  ex- 
tended usefulness  and  deeper  humility  :  Who- 
soever will  be  great  amongst  you,  let  him  be  your 
servant."  Such  a  religion  would  not  please  the 
taste  of  the  chief  priests  and  scribes  ;  it  was  too 
humiliating :  nor  of  the  Pharisees  ;  it  was  too 
spiritual  :  nor  of  the  vicious  ;  it  was  too  pure  and 
holy.  But  it  suited  the  poor  in  spirit :  it  suited 
those  who  mourned  for  sin,  and  were  weary  and 
heavy  laden  with  its  burden ;  those  who  were 
anxious  to  serve  God,  and  disposed  to  make  any 
sacrifice  for  his  sake. — The  manner  in  which  it 
was  received  by  many  is  most  instructively  de- 
scribed in  the  parable  of  the  Marriage  Supper. 
One  of  those  invited  had  bought  an  estate,  and 
must  needs  go  and  see  it.  Another  was  im- 
mersed in  business  :  he  had  bought  a  yoke  of 
oxen,  and  must  needs  go  and  prove  them.  A 
third  was  occupied  with  domestic  cares  and  en- 
joyments :  I  have  married  a  wife,  and  cannot 
come."  The  offer  was  then  made  to  the  poor  and 
destitute,  in  the  highways  and  hedges  ;  to  the 
blind,  and  halt,  and  lame  ;  to  those  who  looked 
upon  themselves  as  unworthy  of  the  invitation, 
and  who  made  no  excuse. — Dives,  engrossed  with 
the  enjoyments  of  this  life,  was  indisposed  to 
receive  the  Gospel,  while  a  forlorn  Lazarus  gladly 
embraced  it.  The  poor  Prodigal  was  willingly 
accepted  ;  while  the  elder  brother,  in  the  pride 
of  his  heart,  asserted  his  goodness,  and  would 
not  come  in.  The  woman  who  was  a  sinner,  to 
whom  much  had  been  forgiven,  embraced  the 
feet  of  Jesus  ;  while  the  less  openly  corrupt,  but 


152  ox  BEAllIVG  THE  CROSS, 

less  humble,  Simou,  entertained  no  love  for  his 
illustrious  Guest.  Thus  the  publicans  and  sin- 
ners went  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  while  the 
Pharisees  and  scribes  were  rejected.  The  rich 
ruler,  who  affirmed  that  he  had  kept  all  the  com- 
mandments from  his  youth,  preferred  his  estate  to 
a  treasure  in  heaven;  while  the  humble  publican, 
Zaccheus,  who  voluntarily  ensfag^ed  to  sfive  one 
half  of  his  goods  to  the  poor,  and  if  he  had  in- 
jured any  man  to  restore  four-fold,  had  salvation 
brought  to  his  house.  And,  to  bring  no  more 
instances,  the  self-justifying  Pharisee  in  the 
temple  w^as  rejected ;  while  the  self- accusing 
Publican,  who  durst  not  lift  up  his  eyes  to  heaven, 
went  dovm  to  his  house  justified. 

I  repeat,  that  the  spirit  of  the  world  was  oppo- 
site to  that  of  Jesus  Christ.  I  am  not  of  the 
world,'*  he  said  ;  and,  if  ye  were  of  the  world, 
the  world  would  love  its  own/'  What  is  highly 
esteemed  amongst  men,  is  abomination  with 
God."  The  world  loves  distinction,  luxury,  plea- 
sure, ease,  self-indulgence.  The  man  of  the  world 
is  one  who  labours  to  advance  himself  in  wealth 
or  honours ;  who  is  well  versed  in  the  ways  of 
men  ;  and  knows  how  to  turn  every  thing  to  his 
advantage  or  enjoyment.  He  is  not  one  who  is 
distinguished  by  his  devotion,  his  self-denial,  his 
charity,  his  humility,  his  tenderness  of  con- 
science, his  desire  of  spiritual  blessings  :  he  is 
not  one  who  mourns  for  sin,  who  is  of  a  contrite 
heart,  and  who  hungers  and  thirsts  after  righ- 
teousness. This  worldly  spirit  Christ  came  to 
oppose,  in  all  its  shapes  and  appearances.  He 
was  himself  of  an  entirely  different  character. 


AND  FOLLOWING  CHRIST.  153 

He  sought  the  favour  of  God,  rather  than  that  of 
men ;  the  honour  which  cometh  from  God,  rather 
than  that  which  cometh  from  man  :  he  was  meek 
and  lowly,  humble  and  unassuming,  disinterested 
and  self-denying.  He  shewed  his  indifference 
to  worldly  things  by  his  poverty, — not  having  a 
place  where  to  lay  his  head ;  and  his  humility, 
by  the  patience  with  which  he  received  the  most 
provoking  insults.  His  conversation  and  his 
thoughts  were  occupied  by  subjects  far  higher 
than  the  vanities  of  this  life,  and  quite  uninter- 
esting to  worldly  men  ;  and  his  whole  life  was 
engaged  in  accomplishing  that  for  which  the 
world  did  not  care. 

And  what  he  was,  he  required  his  disciples  to 
be.  They  were  to  be  distinguished  by  not  being 
of  the  world.  They  were  to  follow  Christ  in  the 
regeneration.  They  were  to  become  new  crea- 
tures ;  to  put  off  the  old  man,  which  is  corrupt, 
and  to  put  on  the  new,  which  is  renewed  after 
the  image  of  God.  This  was  required  of  them, 
although  they  were  already  Jews ;  although  they 
were  called  the  people  of  God ;  although  they 
had  been  circumcised ;  although  they  regularly 
worshipped  in  the  temple,  and  punctually  ob- 
served the  rites  and  ceremonies  of  their  religion. 

It  is  a  great  though  common  mistake,  to  sup- 
pose that  Christ  came  to  introduce  an  entirely 
new  religion ;  that  he  came  to  substitute  Christian 
for  Jewish  forms  of  worship,  and  to  baptize  the 
Heathens  who  should  leave  off  the  practice  of 
idolatry.  It  would  be  more  just  to  say,  that  Christ 
came  to  oppose  a  worldly  spirit ;  to  mortify  sin 
wherever  it  was  found;  to  introduce  the  substance 


154  ON  BEARING  THE  CROSS, 

of  religion,  in  the  place  of  the  shadow;  the  spirit, 
instead  of  the  letter.  A  Jew  converted  by  him 
might  continue  to  be  a  Jew  ;  but  he  would  now 
worship  God  in  spirit  and  in  truth ;  he  would  be 
adorned  with  graces  which  few  Jews  possessed, 
— with  humility,  meekness,  and  deadness  to  the 
world. 

The  Jewish  religion  had  been  given  by  God. 
It  contained  the  seeds  of  every  truth  afterwards 
revealed,  though  some  of  them  were  very  imper- 
fectly developed  :  it  afforded  scope  for  piety,  for 
lively  devotion,  for  holy  confidence,  for  inward 
purity,  and  for  universal  integrity.  But  the  Jews 
had  greatly  degenerated.  They  were  generally 
worldly,  proud,  vain,  sensual,  and  thus  alienated 
from  the  life  of  God,  in  the  same  manner  as  the 
Heathens.  In  what  respect  was  a  proud,  covetous 
Jew  better  than  a  proud  or  covetous  Heathen  ? 
Surely,  he  was  in  the  sight  of  God  the  more 
abominable  of  the  two. 

I  hope  I  shall  not  be  understood  to  intimate, 
that  the  only  ground  of  offence  at  Christ  was 
the  purity  of  his  doctrine,  or  that  the  only  object 
of  his  coming  was  our  instruction  in  holiness. 
Offence  was  also  given  by  his  representations  of 
his  own  dignity ;  and  he  came  principally  for  the 
purpose  of  offering  a  sacrifice  for  sin,  and  sending 
forth  his  Spirit,  to  testify  of  his  dignity  and  make 
known  the  value  of  his  sufferings.  I  assert  only, 
that  one  considerable  cause  of  the  opposition 
given  to  his  doctrine  was  its  contrariety  to  the 
natural  worldliness  and  corruption  of  the  human 
heart. 

He  might,  however,  have  delivered  the  purest 


AND  FOLLOWING  CHRIST. 


155 


doctrines  with  little  opposition,  if  he  would  have 
denounced  no  condemnation  against  those  who 
refused  to  follow  him  ;  or  if  he  would  have  repre- 
sented the  profession  of  his  religion  as  sufficient, 
though  unaccompanied  by  a  renovation  of  the 
life.    It  was  the  change  visible  in  his  disciples 
which  gave  the  offence.    The  world  will  tolerate 
doctrines,  however  pure,  or  however  absurd,  as 
long  as  they  do  not  affect  the  practice.    It  is 
only  when  they  are  found  leading  to  a  conduct 
different  from  that  of  the  world,  that  they  become 
matter  of  jealousy  or  censure.   The  purity  of  the 
real  disciples  of  Christ  was  a  tacit,  but  severCj 
reproach  to  all  who  did  not  adopt  it.  One 
perhaps,  of  a  family,  became  a  disciple  :  imme- 
diately the  change  in  his  conduct  was  seen :  he 
no  longer  yielded  to  customs  in  which  he  had 
before  joined  without  scruple  :   he  no  longer 
shared  in  dissipated  pleasures :  he  lost  that  unity 
of  sentiment  and  pursuit  which  had  associated 
him  with  many  a  former  friend.     He  would 
become,  in  their  judgment,  unreasonable,  over- 
exact,  righteous  overmuch  :  the  gay  would  pro- 
nounce him  to  be  dull;  the  worldly  would  regard 
him  as  extravagant ;  the  wise  and  prudent,  as 
foolish  and  rash.    His  company  would  grow  irk- 
some to  Ihem,  and  theirs  less  pleasing  to  him. 
He  would  be  studying  to  be  more  conformed  to 
Jesus  Christ  ;  and  they  must  see,  that,  if  he  was 
right,  they  certainly  were  wrong:  and  as  the 
authority  of  Christ  was  not  yet  established,  and  as 
his  religion  contradicted  the  prejudices  derived 
from  their  ancestors,  they  were  not  likely  to  be 
measured  or  temperate  in  their  resistance  to  it. 


156  ON^  BEARING  THE  CROSS, 

They  saw  its  tendency  to  interrupt  their  peace  ; 
they  knew  enough  of  it  to  be  apprised  that  it 
represented  them  as  void  of  true  piety,  and  ex- 
posed to  the  condemnation  of  God. 

Let  us  now  direct  our  contemplations  more 
immediately  to  ourselves.  Let  us  suppose  Jesus 
Christ  and  his  Apostles  revisiting  the  world  in 
the  same  character  in  which  they  were  once  seen 
in  Judea.  Let  us  imagine  them  among  us.  What 
would,  then,  be  their  manner  of  addressing  us? 
Would  they  say  ;  Here  we  have  found  a  true 
church,  a  body  of  Christians  in  whom  there  is 
little  to  reprove  or  amend.  All  here  are  real 
converts.  The  world  does  not  reign  in  their 
hearts.  They  are  all  animated  by  a  pure  zeal 
for  the  Divine  honour,  and  bring  forth  in  abun- 
dance the  fruits  of  righteousness  which  are  by 
Jesus  Christ,  to  the  glory  and  praise  of  God. 
We  see  not  among  these  believers,  as  amongst 
the  Jews,  men  who  are  lovers  of  pleasure  more 
than  lovers  of  God.  We  find  no  thirst  of  filthy 
lucre,  no  desire  of  the  honours  and  wealth  of  this 
world.  All  are  humble ;  all  are  engaged  in  work- 
ing out  their  salvation  with  fear  and  trembling. 
The  law  of  God  is  in  their  hearts,  and  directs  all 
their  actions.  They  are  seeking  not  to  be  like 
the  great  and  mighty  of  the  earth,  but  to  resem- 
ble the  meek  and  lowl}'^  Saviour,  and  to  tread  in 
his  steps.  ' 

Alas  !  my  brethren,  I  fear  no  such  honourable 
description  would  be  given  of  our  state.  Rather 
might  we  not  expect  our  Lord,  in  a  tone  of  just 
severity,  to  say  ;     I  know  thy  works;  that  thou 


AND  FOLLOWING  CHRIST. 


157 


hast  a  name  that  thou  livest,  and  art  dead.  Be 
watchful,  and  strengthen  the  things  which  remain, 
that  are  ready  to  die ;  for  I  have  not  found  thy 
works  perfect  before  God.  Thou  sayest,  I  am 
rich,  and  increased  with  goods,  and  have  need  of 
nothing;  and  knowest  not  that  thou  art  wretched, 
and  miserable,  and  poor,  and  blind,  and  naked. 
Remember  how  thou  hast  received  and  heard, 
and  hold  fast,  and  reoent  If  therefore  thou  shalt 
not  watch,  I  will  come  upon  thee  as  a  thief;  and 
thou  shalt  not  know  what  hour  I  will  come  upon 
thee.  Thou  hast  a  few  names  which  have  not 
defiled  their  garments  ;  and  they  shall  walk  with 
me,  for  they  are  worthy." 

Were  our  Lord  thus  to  come,  how  few  would 
he  find  unreprovable  in  his  sight!    To  one  he 
would  say,     Thou  art  cumbered  about  many 
things,  but  one  thing  is  needful."  To  another, 
who  is  immersed  in  dissipation,    If  any  man  love 
the  world,  the  love  of  the  Father  is  not  in  him. 
For  all  that  is  in  the  world,  the  lust  of  the  flesh, 
and  the  lust  of  the  eyes,  and  the  pride  of  life,  is 
not  of  the  Father,  but  is  of  the  world.    And  the 
world  passeth  away,  and  the  lust  thereof;  but  he 
that  doeth  the  will  of  God  abideth  for  ever."  To 
the  rich  he  would  say,     Trust  not  in  uncertain 
riches  :"  to  the  poor,     Labour  not  for  the  meat 
which  perisheth,  but  for  that  which  endureth  to 
eternal  life."    The  formal  worshipper  he  would 
require  to  worship  in  spirit  and  in  truth :  the  luke- 
warm he  would  charge  to  be  zealous  and  repent, 
lest  he  should  be  utterly  rejected. 

It  is  too  evident  that  our  blessed  Lord  would 
refuse  to  own  many  who  now  bear  his  name,  and 


158  ON  BEARING  THE  CROSS, 

would  say  to  them,  never  knew  you."  He 
would  point  out  the  many  vices  which  prevailed 
in  the  days  of  his  flesh,  as  still  demanding  re- 
formation. He  would  ask,  Why  call  ye  me  Lord, 
Lord,  and  do  not  the  things  which  I  have  told 
you  ?  Why  are  ye  baptized  into  my  name,  and 
promise  to  renounce  the  pomps  and  vanities  of 
this  wicked  world,  and  all  the  sinful  lusts  of  the 
flesh,  while  you  suffer  yourselves  to  be  enslaved 
by  them  ?  Why  are  ye  are  of  the  world,  when  I 
laid  it  down  that  the  contrary  spirit  was  the  very 
mark  of  my  true  disciples  ?  " 

And  the  transformation  of  such  persons  into 
true  disciples  would  be  as  striking  now,  as  the 
change  from  Jews  to  Christians  was  in  the  primi- 
tive ages.  Covetousness,  dissipation,  vanity, 
frivolity,  the  waste  of  precious  time,  wouldcease. 
No  longer  would  men  endeavour  to  serve  two 
opposite  masters.  No  longer  would  be  found 
preposterously  united,  a  worshipper  of  God  and 
of  mammon.  No  longer  would  all  the  truths  of 
religion  be  speculatively  held,  and  yet  practically 
denied ;  but  a  general  conversion  of  character 
and  change  of  conduct  would  be  every  where 
visible. 

But  is  the  personal  presence  of  Christ  neces- 
sary to  produce  this  spirit  of  holiness?  If  we 
wait  for  that,  we  shall  wait  in  vain.  No  other 
light  will  be  vouchsafed  to  us  than  that  which 
already  shines  forth,  with  brightness,  from  the 
word  of  God;  no  other  help,  than  that  which 
proceeds  from  the  ordinary  influences  of  his  Holy 
Spirit.  Christ  has,  in  some  sense,  withdrawn 
himself  from  .the  world :  he  has  left  us  in  a  state 


AND  FOLLOWING  CHRIST. 


159 


of  trial,  by  which  our  hearts  may  be  made  mani- 
fest. They  are  his  servants  who  take  up  their 
cross  and  follow  him.  These  he  will  acknowledge 
at  the  last  day.  The  world  will  not  always  ap- 
pear in  its  present  colours  :  there  is  an  enchant- 
ment in  it  which  deceives  our  sight ;  but  the 
illusion  will  be  one  day  dispelled,  and  then  the 
worth  of  the  Divine  favour  will  be  made  manifest. 

My  brethren,  let  us  take  heed  to  ourselves. 
In  the  name  of  God,  let  us  trifle  no  longer ;  let 
us  delude  ourselves  no  more.  The  characteristic 
marks  of  the  true  disciples  of  Christ,  given  us 
in  Scripture,  are  clear.  Let  us,  then,  search  the 
Scriptures,  that  we  may  fully  know  what  manner 
of  persons  Christ  and  his  Apostles  were ;  for  we 
must  be  like  them. — I  conclude  with  repeating, 
once  more,  the  words  of  my  text :  Whosoever 
doth  not  bear  his  cross,  and  come  after  me,  cannot 
be  my  disciple." 


160 


HOW  TO  USE  THE  WORLD. 


SERMON  XL 

HOW  TO  USE  THE  WORLD  SO  AS  NOT  TO  ABUSE  IT. 
1  COR.  vii.  29 — 31. 

But  this  I  say,  brethren.  The  time  is  short:  it  re- 
maineth,  that  both  they  that  have  wives  be  as 
though  they  had  none ;  and  they  that  weep,  as 
though  they  wept  not;  and  they  that  rejoice,  as 
though  they  rejoiced  not;  and  they  that  buy,  as 
though  they  possessed  not ;  and  they  that  use  this 
world,  as  not  abusing  it;  for  the  fashion  of  this 
world  passeth  away. 

In  compliance  with  the  will  of  a  former  inha- 
bitant of  this  parish,  who,  having  lost  a  wife  he 
affectionately  loved,  requested  that  a  sermon 
might  be  preached  upon  the  Sunday  following 
the  anniversary  of  her  death — with  the  intention, 
probably,  of  giving  the  preacher  an  opportunity 
to  moralize  upon  the  loss  of  friends,  and,  by 
Christian  consolation,  to  moderate  and  sanctify 
the  grief  it  produces — I  have  chosen  the  subject 
which  my  text  presents.    It  teaches  us  at  once 
how  to  enjoy  our  friends  and  domestic  connec- 
tions, and  how  to  bear  their  loss  ;  how  to  rejoice, 
and  how  to  weep.    It  lays  down  the  true  Chris- 
tian principle  which  should  influence  our  conduct 
upon  such  occasions  ;  a  principle  by  the  influence 


so  AS  NOT  TO  ABUSE  IT.  Ifjl 

of  which,  I  am  bold  to  say,  that  a  person  will  be 
enabled  both  to  enjoy  true  happiness  and  to 
glorify  God,  amidst  all  the  various  changes  and 
chances  of  this  mortal  life. 

Here,  then,  is  the  direction:  Let  those  that 
have  wives  be  as  though  they  had  none ;  and  those 
that  weep,  as  though  they  wept  not ;  and  those 
that  rejoice,  as  though  they  rejoiced  not."  And 
the  reason  is  added  which  should  influence  us  to 
adopt  such  a  conduct :  For  the  time  is  short, 
and  the  fashion  of  this  world  passeth  away." 

I  begin  with  remarking  the  wisdom  of  the 
Apostle  in  teaching  us  how  to  bear  the  loss  of 
friends,  by  Jirst  teaching  us  hozv  to  enjoy  them. 
— These  two  points  are  very  closely  connected. 
If  a  man  has  enjoyed  prosperity  in  a  proper  Chris- 
tian manner,  he  will  be  prepared  to  suffer  adver- 
sity with  the  least  degree  of  distress.  As  he  will 
not  rejoice,  like  one  intoxicated,  with  an  insolent 
and  extravagant  joy  ;  so  he  will  not  be  depressed 
by  a  grief  that  overwhelms  him  with  intolerable 
anguish.  All  people  think  they  know  how  to 
rejoice,  though  they  may  not  know  how  to  suffer 
aright :  but  to  do  this  has  more  difficulty  in  it, 
and  repuires  more  of  the  spirit  of  Christianity, 
than  many  may  be  aware.  Few  people  bear  pros- 
perity well ;  and  one  reason  is,  because  they  see 
no^difficulty  in  bearing  it.  They  do  not  examine 
themselves  upon  this  head.  They  do  not  treasure 
up  rules  for  the  occasion.  They  do  not  pray  to 
be  taught  how  to  use  their  happiness.  In  conse- 
quence of  this  want  of  a  true  Christian  principle 
of  rejoicing,  their  grief  in  the  hour  of  adversity  is 
immoderate  ;  or  at  least  it  is  restrained  by  such 

VOL.  ir.  M 


162 


HOW  TO  USE  'J  HE  WORLD 


considerations  as  tend  rather  to  divert  our  thoughts 
from  it  than  to  enable  us  to  bear  it.  Now  the 
excellence  of  Christian  principle  is  this,  that  it 
is  of  universal  operation.  It  extends  its  influence 
to  all  the  various  states  and  circumstances  in  which 
a  man  can  be  placed,  and  teaches  us  to  act  pro- 
perly in  them  all.  And  we  may  depend  upon  it, 
that  the  same  causes  which  tend  to  make  us  bear 
prosperity  well,  will  teach  us  also  to  suffer  well. 

On  the  other  hand,  I  would  remark  also,  that 
the  proper  use  of  adversity  teaches  us  to  bear 
prosperity  aright.  When  we  are  deeply  afflicted 
by  the  loss  of  an  affectionate  relative,  we  are  so 
strongly  impressed  with  the  vanity  of  all  things 
below,  or,  to  use  the  words  of  the  Apostle,  we 
feel  so  strongly  that  "  the  fashion  of  this  world 
passeth  away,"  that  even  the  most  careless  and 
thoughtless  acquire  something  of  a  Christian  view. 
The  imperious  pressure  of  calamity  forces  upon 
them  a  measure  of  what  they  ought  to  have  learn- 
ed from  the  lessons  of  the  Gospel.  And  thus  in 
grief  there  is  often  found  a  disposition  very  favour- 
able to  religion ;  and  they  who  have  been  greatly 
afflicted  are  generally  able  to  bear  prosperity  in 
a  much  better  spirit  and  temper  than  they  pos- 
sessed before  they  were  instructed  and  made  wise 
by  the  pressure  of  their  affliction. 

The  Christian  principle,  then,  to  which  I  have 
alluded  as  equally  enabling  us  to  bear  prosperity 
and  adversity,  is  faith.  By  this  we  are  taught 
to  feel  the  vanity,  the  shortness,  the  emptiness  of 
every  thing  in  this  world ;  and  to  realize  the  views 
of  eternal  things  which  are  given  us  in  Scripture. 

The  fashion  of  this  world  passeth  away ;  "  that 


so  AS  NOT  TO  ABUSE  IT. 


163 


is,  this  world,  with  all  its  varied  appearances,  its 
pleasures  and  its  pains,  its  sorrows  and  its  joys, 
passeth  away  quickly.  The  scene  will  soon  be 
shifted.  The  time  is  very  short.  In  a  little  while, 
a  new  order  of  things  will  arise.  A  great  and 
glorious  state  is  at  hand,  even  an  eternal  state, 
the  contemplation  of  which  will  enable  us  to  look 
with  a  holy  indifference  upon  all  things  here 
below.  A  Christian  is  one  who  looks  not  at  the 
things  which  are  seen,  but  at  those  which  are 
unseen.  He  is  represented  as  being  dead  to  the 
world.  His  life  is  hid  with  Christ  in  God.  He 
sets  not  his  affections  on  things  below,  but  on 
things  above,  where  Christ,  the  object  of  his  faith 
and  hope,  sitteth  at  the  right  hand  of  God. 

But  in  order  that  this  view  of  eternal  things 
should  have  any  considerable  influence  upon  the 
mind,  it  is  necessary  that  it  should  have  two  qua- 
lities : — 1.  That  it  should  be  abiding :  2.  That  it 
should  pleasing — that  is,  one  in  which  our  hopes 
are  interested. 

1.  It  should  be  abiding. — However  vivid  our 
impression  of  eternal  things  may  be  for  a  time, 
yet  we  know,  that,  such  is  the  nature  of  the  human 
mind,  that  the  very  strongest  impression  will  soon 
wear  away  if  not  repeated.  Nay,  a  very  slight 
impression,  frequently  repeated,  will  have  more 
effect  upon  us  than  any  single  impression,  how- 
ever strong.  Now  the  things  of  this  life  are  per- 
petually before  our  eyes  :  they  are  ever  drawing 
off  our  attention  from  better  thipgs,  and  filling 
our  minds  with  the  ideas  of  themselves  ;  and  thus 
they  tend  to  exclude  every  other  object  of  con- 
sideration.  They  are,  in  this  respect,  like  a  force 

M  2 


164 


HOW  TO  USE  THE  WORLD 


which  is  constantly  acting.  Will  not  the  consi- 
deration of  eternal  things,  therefore,  require  to  be 
often  set  before  the  mind,  in  order  to  counteract 
this  force  ?  Will  it  be  sufficient  to  have  had,  some 
time  ago,  a  vivid  impression  of  the  excellency  of 
spiritual  subjects,  and  of  the  importance  of  the 
eternal  world  ?  Is  there  not  something  so  conge- 
nial to  our  frame  in  the  objects  of  sense,  and  so 
superior  to  our  nature  in  those  of  faith,  that  the 
latter  require  even  to  be  more  frequently  held  up 
to  view,  in  order  to  make  an  equal  impression  ? 

From  this  constitution  of  things  arises  the  ne- 
cessity of  continually  hearing  and  reading  the 
word  of  God.  It  is  no  uncommon  thing  for  people 
to  neglect  or  refuse  to  attend  a  particular  preacher, 
because,  from  his  alleged  want  of  capacity  and 
information,  they  can  expect  to  hear  nothing  but 
what  they  already  -know.  In  the  same  spirit 
they  negkct  to  read  the  Bible,  because  they  are 
already,  as  they  conceive,  sufficiently  acquainted 
with  its  contents.  Allowing  this,  still  it  must  be 
maintained,  that  they  ought  both  to  hear  and  to 
read  the  word  of  God  ;  for  it  is  in  this  way  that 
spiritual  ideas  are  renewed  and  strengthened,  or 
at  least  preserved ;  and  it  is  certain,  that,  if  not 
thus  preserved,  they  will  soon  be  effaced. 

It  is  therefore  of  the  utmost  importance  to  keep 
up  a  lively  impression  of  eternal  things  on  the 
soul ;  and  this  cannot  be  done  without  daily 
retirement,  meditation,  and  prayer.  By  secret 
prayer,  an  intercourse  is  maintained  with  Heaven, 
and  the  ideas  of  the  nearness  and  the  importance 
of  the  eternal  world  become  familiar  to  our  souls. 
But  let  secret  prayer  be  neglected,  and  we  shall 


so  AS  NOT  TO  ABUSE  IT. 


165 


soon  lose  the  impression  of  Divine  things ;  the 
eternal  world  will  appear  to  recede  from  us ;  we 
shall  have  only  an  imperfect  and  confused  idea  of 
it,  as  of  an  object  almost  vanishing  from  the  sight ; 
and  in  the  same  proportion  the  things  of  time  and 
sense  will  occupy  our  attention  and  engross  our 
thoughts. 

2.  But,  in  order  that  the  things  of  the  eternal 
world  may  become  frequently  the  objects  of  con- 
templation, it  is  absolutely  necessary  that  the  view 
of  them  should  be  pleasant  to  us. — No  man  loves 
to  dwell  upon  painful  or  unpleasing  objects  :  no 
man  loves  to  meditate  upon  the  shortness  of  life, 
whose  prospects  of  happiness  terminate  here  be- 
low. A  man  must  therefore  have  a  good  hope 
beyond  the  grave,  before  he  can  accustom  him- 
self to  extend  his  view  to  this  close  of  his  earthly 
hopes.  Whoever  dreads  death  will  not  often 
present  the  image  of  it  to  his  mind.  He  that  is 
afraid  of  God  will  not  often  meditate  upon  his 
power  and  his  omnipresence.  Now  it  is  the  bu- 
siness of  the  Gospel,  and  of  the  Gospel  alone, 
to  render  the  thoughts  of  death,  of  eternity, 
and  of  God,  pleasing  to  the  soul.  Christ  is  there 
held  up  to  our  view  as  having  made  atonement 
for  our  sins,  and  procured  reconciliation  with 
the  Father,  in  order  that  whosoever  believeth 
in  him  should  not  perish,  but  have  eternal  life." 
They  that  come  to  Christ  are  represented  as  jus- 
tified, as  accepted,  as  adopted  into  God's  family. 
Christ  is  spoken  of  as  their  Brother,  for  he  was 
partaker  of  their  flesh.  Christ  is  their  Advocate  : 
he  has  ascended  up  into  heaven  to  plead  for  them, 
and  to  prepare  a  place  for  them.   Hence  the  be- 


166 


HOW  TO  USE  THE  WORLD 


liever  triumphs  over  death  and  the  grave,  because 
God  hath  given  him  the  victory  over  them,  through 
Jesus  Christ.  Hence  the  eternal  world  is  no  longer 
the  object  of  his  dread  ;  for  it  is  the  kingdom  of 
Christ,  in  which  he  dwells  and  presides.  Hence 
his  affections  are  set  upon  things  above;  for  they 
are  placed  where  Christ  sitteth,  at  the  right  hand 
of  God. 

Thus,  in  all  things,  we  find  that  Christ  is  the 
Centre  and  the  Source  of  true  religion.  It  is  in 
Him  that  we  obtain  just  and  pleasing  views  of  the 
eternal  world.  It  is  by  the  knowledge  of  Him  that 
we  obtain  that  spiritual-mindedness,  and  those 
affections,  which  render  the  eternal  world  the 
object  of  our  frequent  and  delightful  meditation. 

But  it  will  be  asked,  \Vhat  has  the  consideration 
of  the  next  world  to  do  with  our  concerns  in  this  ? 
I  answer.  Much.  The  proper  use  of  this  world 
depends  wholly  upon  our  views  of  that  which  is 
to  come.  This  is  the  argument  of  the  Apostle  : 
he  teaches  us,  in  our  relations  in  life,  in  our  afflic- 
tions, in  our  enjoyments,  in  our  worldly  employ- 
ments and  concerns,  to  act  as  those  who  consider 
this  life  only  in  reference  to  another.  We  are  to 
act  as  those  that  look  beyond  this  world.  But 
this  precept  we  cannot  fulfil,  unless  our  views  of 
the  world  to  come  be  strongly  impressed  upon  our 
mind.  Now  they  cannot  be  strongly  impressed, 
unless  they  are  frequent  —  they  will  not  be  fre- 
quent, unless  they  are  delightful — and  they  will 
not  be  delightful,  unless  they  are  seen  through 
Jesus  Christ.  Thus  Christ  is  the  Alpha  and  Omega. 
He  is  the  vSource  of  that  principle  which  diffuses 
itself  through  the  life  of  a  Christian,  and  regulates 


so  AS  NOT  TO  ABUSE  IT. 


167 


all  his  conduct  in  the  things  relating  both  to  this 
life  and  to  that  which  is  to  come. 

II.  This  principle,  then,  rightly  felt,  will  teach  us 
how  to  use  the  world  without  abusing  it ;  how 
to  enjoy  the  society  of  our  nearest  connections, 
and  how  to  sorrow  in  their  loss. 

In  the  enjoyment  of  domestic  relations,  the  rule 
laid  down,  Let  those  who  have  wives  be  as 
though  they  had  none,"  is  not  to  be  understood 
as  if  it  excluded  the  gratification  of  social  feelings, 
the  pleasures  of  tenderness,  or  the  indulgence  of 
domestic  happiness.  The  religion  of  Christ  is  not 
like  the  philosophy  of  the  Stoics,  who  refused 
themselves  indulgence  in  order  that  they  might 
not  be  afflicted  by  its  loss.  That  they  might  not 
endure  pain,  they  deprived  themselves  of  plea- 
sure. Such  is  not  the  Christian  scheme.  It  allows 
us,  it  enjoins  us,  to  receive  the  bounties  of  our 
heavenly  Father  with  pleasure  and  thanksgiving; 
to  enjoy  them  for  the  Lord's  sake,  the  liberal  and 
kind  Donor  of  them  all.  A  good  wife  is  from 
the  Lord."  We  are  exhorted  to  rejoice  in  the  wife 
of  our  youth.  We  are  required  to  love  our  wives, 
even  as  our  own  selves.  We  are  to  look  round 
upon  our  domestic  comforts,  and,  with  hearts  filled 
with  gratitude,  to  acknowledge  in  them  the  good- 
ness of  God,  and  to  enjoy  them  with  thanksgiving 
to  him.  But  how,  then,  are  we  to  be  preserved 
from  worldliness  of  mind,  and  from  misery  when 
we  are  deprived  of  our  comforts?  I  answer.  By 
the  principle  already  laid  down  ;  by  a  deep  and 
abiding  impression  of  the  superiority  of  things 


168  HOW  TO  USE  THE  M'ORLD 

spiritual  and  eternal.  In  this  respect,  they  that 
have  wives  will  be  as  though  they  had  none— that 
is,  in  comparison  of  the  happiness  ready  to  be 
revealed,  all  that  is  enjoyed  in  this  life  should 
appear  to  us  as  but  a  drop  in  the  ocean :  the  ad- 
dition of  it  should  appear  to  us  as  nothing,  and 
the  removal  of  it  should  appear  to  be  equally  un- 
important, when  compared  with  the  great  things 
which  God  has  laid  up  for  them  that  love  him. 
We  should  look  to  God,  while  we  adore  him  for 
having  made  our  cup  run  over  with  blessings,  and 
say,  These  temporal  mercies,  0  Lord,  and  all 
I  enjoy,  I  enjoy  from  thy  mercy  and  bounty. 
But  these  are  but  the  smallest  part  of  thy  good- 
ness ;  these  are  but  as  the  drops  which  precede 
the  shower.  In  the  gift  of  thy  beloved  Son,  and 
eternal  life  through  him,  I  behold  the  infinite 
extent  of  Divine  goodness.  While,  therefore,  I 
value  these  temporal  blessings,  O  let  me  value,  in 
an  infinitely  higher  degree,  spiritual  and  eternal 
ones !  Give  me  just  conceptions  to  understand 
the  relative  value  of  thy  several  gifts,  and  to  prize 
them  accordingly.  The  things  which  accompany 
salvation,  be  these  the  objects  of  my  hope  and 
joy  !  These  are  divine;  these  perish  not  with  the 
using  ;  these  are  eternal ;  these  are  worthy  of  an 
immortal  soul  to  enjoy,  and  worthy  of  God  to 
bestow.  Let  me,  therefore,  while  I  enjoy  all  my 
domestic  and  temporal  comforts  with  pleasure, 
and  with  additional  pleasure  because  I  receive 
them  from  thee  ;  let  me  still  con&ider  them  as  but 
subordinate  and  inferior  to  the  blessings  which 
Christ  has  purchased.    While  I  have  them,  let 


so  AS  NOT  TO  ABUSE  IT. 


169 


me  consider  well  their  nature:  they  are  transitory 
and  vain:  let  the  chief  desire  of  my  soul,  there- 
fore, be  towards  those  things  that  are  above." 

My  brethren,  are  such  our  views  of  happiness  ? 
Are  our  prayers  to  God  of  this  description  ?  Do 
we  preserve  this  moderation  in  our  enjoyment  of 
temporal  happiness  ?  Do  we  consider  well,  not 
only  what  a  fleeting  and  brittle  thing  it  is,  but 
also  how  inferior  to  that  which  is  enjoyed  in  Christ? 
Are  we,  therefore,  watching  over  ourselves  with  a 
godly  suspicion  ?  Are  we  afraid  and  jealous  lest 
transitory  and  worldly  things  should,  from  their 
being  congenial  to  our  nature,  make  too  deep  an 
impression  on  our  minds,  and  acquire  too  high  a 
value  in  our  esteem?  Are  we  endeavouring  to 
have  our  enjoyment  of  the  world  sanctified  to  us? 
We  shall  then  know  the  meaning  of  the  Apostle  ; 
for  we  shall  enter  into  his  feelings,  when  he  says, 

The  time  is  short :  Let  those  who  have  wives 
be  as  though  they  had  none;  and  those  who  weep, 
as  though  they  wept  not ;  and  those  who  use  this 
world,  as  they  that  used  it  not;  for  the  fashion  of 
it  passeth  away."  We  shall  know,  I  say,  what 
he  means :  for  we  shall  know  how  the  blessings 
of  this  world  can  be  enjoyed  as  the  gift  of  God, 
and  therefore  not  to  be  despised ;  but  at  the  same 
time  as  a  snare  to  our  souls,  and  therefore  to  be 
used  with  caution ;  as  fleeting,  and  therefore  not 
to  be  over-valued  ;  as  nothing  in  comparison  of 
eternity,  and  therefore  not  to  hold  the  first  place 
in  our  esteem. 

Apply  the  same  principle  to  the  losses  we  must 
expect  to  meet  with  in  life.  There  are  many  ways 
by  which  the  men  of  the  world  bear  up  against 


370 


HOW  TO  USE  THE  WORLD 


the  crosses  they  have  to  endure  in  it.  Some- 
times  sdfish7iess  helps  them  :  they  love  their  own 
happiness  too  much  to  allow  their  misfortunes  to 
trouble  them.  Sometimes  the  necessity  of  bear- 
ing what  they  cannot  help,  will  endue  them  with 
a  resemblance  of  patience,  or,  rather,  with  insen- 
sibility. Others  trust  to  time  and  the  diversion 
of  their  thoughts,  and  the  fixing  of  their  attention 
upon  some  new  object  of  pursuit.  But  these  are 
not  the  Christian  modes  of  bearing  calamities.  A 
Christian  weeps,  but  it  is  as  though  he  wept  not ; 
for  he  feels  that  the  time  is  short.  He  sets  eter- 
nity before  him.  He  compares  what  he  has  lost, 
with  the  blessings  he  enjoys  and  hopes  for  in 
Christ.  And  though  he  feels  and  weeps,  yet  it 
is  like  one  who  has  only  lost  what  he  expected 
to  lose,  and  what  is  trivial  in  comparison  of  the 
superior  blessings  he  enjoys. 

You  see,  my  brethren,  the  value  of  the  Gospel. 
It  is  intended  to  be  our  remedy  against  the  cala- 
mities of  life.  Prayer,  therefore,  and  devout 
meditation,  instead  of  rendering  us  gloomy  and 
miserable,  as  many  erroneously  imagine,  are  in- 
tended, by  Him  who  best  knows  what  is  the  life 
of  man,  to  shield  us  from  the  ills  of  life,  and  to 
endue  us  with  solid  and  abiding  consolation. 

Let  me  address  your  feelings. — You  know  that 
you  hold  all  your  temporal  enjoyments  by  a  pre- 
carious tenure.  You  that  have  wives,  and  in 
them  all  that  gives  enjoyment  to  life,  consider 
how  soon  the  stroke  of  death  may  tear  them  from 
you.  You  that  have  children,  and  whose  hopes 
of  happiness  are  fondly  wrapped  up  in  them. 


so  AS  NOT  TO  ABUSE  IT. 


171 


remember  how  they  may  prove  a  parent's  curse, 
instead  of  his  blessing.  You  that  are  buying,  and 
increasing  your  possessions  ;  and  you  that  are 
using  the  world  in  all  the  eagerness  and  hope  of 
possessing  in  it  complete  happiness ;  know  that 
the  time  is  short,  and  that  the  fashion  of  the 
world  passeth  away.  Hear,  I  beseech  you,  the 
warning  voice  of  your  Creator,  anxious  to  secure 
your  happiness,  by  taking  off  your  expectations 
from  a  false  foundation,  to  build  them  upon  one 
that  is  safe  and  solid.  He  bids  you  to  rejoice, 
under  the  deep  impression  of  the  superior  value 
of  eternal  things.  He  does  not  forbid  you  to 
weep,  but  he  tells  you  to  weep  as  though  you 
wept  not ;  considering  how  trifling  your  loss  is, 
compared  with  the  blessings  which  perish  not 
with  the  using. 

I  know,  indeed,  that  nature  still  fondly  cleaves 
to  the  world,  and  the  things  of  it,  as  the  only 
source  of  joy.  I  know  how  backward  the  heart 
ever  is  to  receive  the  testimony  of  God  while  it 
contradicts  our  present  experience.  I  am  aware 
of  the  difficulty  of  overcoming  sense  by  the  views 
of  faith.  But  let  the  multitudes  of  those  who 
suffer  in  extreme  anguish,  and  of  those  whose 
sufferings  are  too  acute  for  nature  to  survive, 
teach  those  whom  the  word  of  God  instructs  in 
vain.  Let  them  see  what  is  the  lot  of  man,  and 
what  may  be  their  lot.  Now  they  may  be  flou- 
rishing in  health  and  strength,  blooming  in  honour 
and  wealth.  But  did  you  never  see  the  tree  full 
of  blossoms  stripped  at  once  and  blasted  by  a 
sudden  blight  ?  So  are  the  youthful  sometimes 
struck  ;   so   are  the  proud  and  mighty  often 


.   172  HOW  TO  USE  THE  WORLD,  &C. 

brought  down.  I  wish  only  that  you  should 
have,  in  the  hour  of  calamity,  such  a  resource, 
that,  with  Job,  you  may  say,  The  Lord  gave 
and  the  Lord  hath  taken  away,  blessed  be  the 
name  of  the  Lord."  I  want  you  only  to  receive 
the  stroke  with  patient  submission,  and  to  say, 
I  thank  God,  I  sorrow  not  as  those  that  have 
no  hope."  Would  to  God  those  whose  tears  are 
their  meat  day  and  night,  might  know  that  there 
is  a  way  of  weeping  as  though  they  wept  not,  of 
bearing  sorrow  without  being  overcome  by  it ! 
The  knowledge  of  eternal  things,  in  and  through 
Christ,  can  give  you  this.  In  vain  will  you  seek 
it  from  philosophy.  It  is  to  be  found  only  in 
Christ,  and  in  communion  with  him.  His  peace 
is  such  as  the  world  can  neither  give  nor  take 
away.  Let  me,  then,  my  brethren,  exhort  you 
all — for  you  are  all  liable  to  sufferings — let  me 
especially  exhort  you  who  are  under  the  stroke 
of  affliction  or  the  pressure  of  poverty,  to  embrace 
that  Gospel  which  the  beloved  Son  of  God  came 
down  from  heaven  to  make  known  to  man.  Let 
me  persuade  you  to  seek  acquaintance  with  God 
by  faith  and  by  prayer.  So  will  you  be  able  to 
glory  in  tribulations.  So  will  you  rejoice  with 
a  joy  unspeakable ;  while,  amidst  all  the  troubles 
of  life,  you  look  for  and  hasten  unto  the  coming 
of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and,  with  him,  of  perfect 
felicity. 


173 


SERMON  XIL 

ON  THE  JUSTICE  OF  GOD. 


2  COR.  V.  11. 

Knoxving,  therefore^  the  terror  of  the  Lord,  we  per- 
suade men. 

Different  ages  of  the  world  have  had  their 
different  errors  and  vices.  In  a  former  age, 
superstition  w^as  the  reigning  evil :  in  the  present, 
profaneness  and  infidelity  predominate.  During 
the  prevalence  of  superstition,  erroneous  con- 
ceptions were  formed  of  the  character  of  God,  as 
a  Being  strict  in  exacting  the  performance  of  rites 
and  ceremonies,  rigid  in  his  laws,  and  severe  in 
enforcing  penances.  The  present  age  has  gone 
into  the  opposite  extreme  :  it  has  abandoned 
the  ideas  of  justice  and  vengeance  in  the  Divine 
nature ;  not  considering  God  as  a  Judge,  who  will 
render  to  every  man  according  to  his  works, 
punishing  the  sinner  with  everlasting  destruction; 
but  rather  as  a  tender  Father,  excusing  the  frail- 
ties of  his  children,  and  chastening  and  disci- 
plining them  here,  in  order  to  make  them  all 
finally  happy  hereafter.  He  is,  according  to  the 
popular  notion,  a  God  all  mercy  and  love,  inca- 
pable of  anger  or  resentment ;  and,  though  him- 
self perfectly  holy  and  pure,  yet  so  indulgent  to 


174  ON  THE  JUSTICE  OF  GOD. 

the  frailty  of  his  creatures  as  not  to  observe,  with 
any  vigilant  attention,  what  is  done  amiss  by 
them.    Now  as  our  religion  always  takes  its 
character  from  the  views  we  entertain  of  the 
Divine  Being,  so,  in  consequence  of  the  change  I 
have  noticed,  the  form  and  complexion  of  religion 
amongst  us  has  undergone  a  remarkable  alteration. 
In  the  age  of  Superstition,  ceremonial  observances 
were  multiplied  ;  abundant  charities  were  offered, 
as  commutations  for  sin ;  and  severe  penances 
and  mortification  were  voluntarily  endured,  as  an 
atonement  for  it.    Although  the  real  nature  of 
religion  was  entirely  mistaken,  yet  the  forms, 
however  erroneous,  under  which  it  appeared, 
were  universally  prevalent.    Pilgrimages  were 
made,  monasteries  were  built,  and  churches  and 
masses  were  multiplied.   For  a  short  period  after 
the  Reformation,  just  and  true  ideas  of  the  cha- 
racter of  God  prevailed  among  the  Protestant 
churches;  and  a  proper  fear  of  his  Name,  and 
reverence  for  his  authority,  were  united  to  the 
love  of  him  as  a  Parent.   But  afterwards,  infidels 
and  professed  Christians,  led  astray  by  a  philo- 
sophizing spirit,  succeeded   in  very  generally 
establishing  what  they  termed  a  more  liberal 
notion  of  the  character  of  God,  and  in  subverting 
the  faith  of  mankind  in  his  retributive  justice. 
The  effect  was,  as  they  wished,  to  relax,  in 
popular  opinion,  the  obligations  to  holiness.  The 
violation  of  the  Divine  Law  was  considered  as  a 
slight  evil ;  the  necessity  of  deep  repentance  and 
contrition  for  sin  was  superseded;  the  salutary 
dread  of  the  judgments  of  God  was  ridiculed; 
the  doctrine  of  the  atonement  was  undermined ; 


ON  THE  JUSTICE  OF  GOD. 


175 


faith  in  Christ  was  degraded  from  the  high  rank 
it  had  hitherto  held  in  the  estimation  of  Christians ; 
instead  of  a  just  distribution  of  rewards  and 
punishments,  the  universal  salvation  of  mankind 
was  anticipated ;  and  Christianity  itself  was  re- 
duced nearly  to  a  level  with  natural  religion. 
The  standard  of  morals  was,  of  course,  lowered. 
Christian  vigilance,  self-denial,  and  separation 
from  the  world,  were  derided  as  superstitious. 
Vices  were  called  by  extenuating  names,  and  the 
law  of  nature  substituted  for  that  of  the  Gospel. 
Hence  a  life  of  careless  dissipation  and  pleasure 
came  to  be  considered  as  a  life  of  innocence  and 
virtue. 

That  there  is  now  a  more  general  degree  of 
profligacy  and  corruption  of  manners  than  pre- 
vailed a  century  or  two  ago,  will  probably  not  be 
denied ;  though  it  may  be  allowed,  that,  in  some 
respects,  the  present  age  has  improved  above 
those  which  preceded  it.  I  would  not  ascribe 
this  degeneracy  of  manners  entirely  to  a  mistaken 
view  of  the  Divine  nature,  because  I  consider  that 
error  as  partly  its  cause  and  partly  its  effect. 
False  ideas  of  the  Deity  will  necessarily  produce 
a  low  state  of  morals ;  and  a  low  state  of  morals 
will  naturally  occasion  inadequate  conceptions  of 
the  holiness  of  God.  But  of  this  I  am  well  per- 
suaded, that  Satan,  the  grand  enemy  of  Chris- 
tianity and  godliness,  could  in  no  way  so  secretly 
and  so  successfully  undermine  both,  as  by  sub- 
stituting what  might  be  conceived  to  be  more 
honourable  and  liberal  ideas  of  the  Divine  mercy, 
in  the  room  of  those  awful  views  of  his  justice 
which  the  Scripture  has  represented  to  us.  The 


176  ON  THE  JUSTICE  OF  GOD. 

promotion  of  the  glory  of  God  is  thus  made  to 
coincide  with  the  indulgence  of  the  corrupt  pro- 
pensities of  men  ;  we  are  taught  at  once  to  violate 
the  commands  of  God,  and  to  allay  our  fears  by 
the  remembrance  of  his  mercy.  Religion  itself 
is  made  the  instrument  of  stifling  the  remon- 
strances of  conscience  ;  and  even  our  knowledge 
of  the  Divine  nature  is  employed  to  diminish  our 
dread  of  sin. 

I  do  not  in  this  place  address  myself,  on  the 
subject  of  the  Divine  justice,  to  infidels.  The 
arguments  I  wish  to  use  are  derived  from  the 
Scriptures,  the  authority  of  which  they  reject. 
Yet  even  they,  reasoning  on  the  ground  of  mere 
natural  religion,  will  be  much  perplexed  to  recon- 
cile the  moral  constitution  of  the  world  with  the 
views  they  entertain  of  the  Divine  nature.  The 
indulgent  lenity  they  ascribe  to  God  can  never  be 
shewn  to  be  consistent  with  the  awful  visitations 
with  which  he  often  chastises  the  offences  of  man, 
unless  they  represent  him  as  capricious  and  vin- 
dictive, as  **  such  an  one  as  themselves."  My  busi- 
ness, however,  lies  with  professed  Christians,  who 
acknowledge  their  obligation  to  receive  the  views 
which  Revelation  gives  of  the  Divine  nature.  Yet 
many  of  these,  inadvertently  it  maybe  hoped,  have 
imbibed  what  is  termed  a  philosophical  idea  of  the 
mercy  of  God ;  and,  finding  the  convenience  of 
that  opinion  in  the  indulgence  which  it  affords- 
them,  attempt  to  reconcile  it  with  the  representa- 
tion given  in  Scripture  of  his  character. 

T  do  not  suppose  that  the  generality  of  such 
persons  are  very  strict  and  accurate  in  their  exa- 
mination of  Scripture:  loose  and  superficial  views 


ON  THE  JUSTICE  OF  GOD. 


177 


are  better  suited  to  their  state  of  mind.  It  may 
happen,  however,  that  some  more  acute  and  in- 
genious person  amongst  them  may  display  his 
critical  ingenuity  by  a  laboured  attempt  to  ex- 
plain away  the  plain  and  obvious  language  of  the 
Bible.  With  such  persons,  however,  I  do  not 
here  wish  to  reason.  They  who  neglect,  or  they 
who  pervert.  Scripture,  equally  shew  dispositions 
unprepared  to  receive  the  truth.  Of  you,  my 
brethren,  I  would  hope,  that  you  are  deeply  sensi- 
ble of  the  importance  of  truth  ;  that  you  earnestly 
wish  to  ascertain  the  exact  views  of  Scripture  ; 
that  you  are  prepossessed  by  no  system,  and  have 
no  prejudice  in  favour  of  your  own  notions  of  the 
character  of  God;  but  will  receive,  with  an 
honest  and  good  heart,"  whatever  you  find  de- 
clared respecting  it  in  the  Sacred  Writings.  It 
is  this  humble  and  teachable  disposition  alone 
which  the  Holy  Ghost  will  bless  with  wisdom 
and  knowledge :  the  meek  will  he  guide  in 
judgment." 

I  will  suppose,  therefore,  that  some  of  those 
before  me  have  inadvertently  imbibed  what  they 
conceive  to  be  honourable  ideas  of  the  Divine 
nature,  and  hope,  though  they  own  they  have  not 
well  examined  the  question,  that  their  opinions 
may  in  some  way  be  reconciled  with  the  decla- 
rations of  Scripture.  I  shall  suggest,  then,  to  your 
consideration  some  brief  remarks  on  the  character 
of  God,  as  displayed  by  the  Sacred  Writers. 

1 .  Let  me  call  your  attention  to  the  history  of 
the  Fall. — In  what  light  does  it  exhibit  God  ?  As 
a  Being  very  indulgent  to  the  frailties  of  his  crea- 

VOL.  II.  N 


178 


ON  THE  JUSTICE  OF  GOD. 


tures  ?  Adam  sinned  once,  by  violating  his  com- 
mands ;  and  mark  what  was  his  punishment :  he 
was  driven  at  once  from  paradise  ;  he  became 
immediately  mortal.  But  the  effect  of  the  Divine 
displeasure  did  not  stop  there.  The  whole  earth 
was  cursed  for  his  sake.  All  his  posterity  were 
involved  in  his  punishment :  misery,  and  sorrow, 
and  death,  became  their  inevitable  portion,  and 
have  continued  to  be  so  from  generation  to  gene- 
ration. Now  this  was  the  very  Jirst  transgression 
of  man,  and  therefore  it  calls  for  our  particular 
notice.  It  was  to  be  expected  that  God  would 
display  to  his  creatures  his  own  views  of  sin,  by 
the  manner  in  which  he  visited  their  first  offence 
against  him.  And  this  lesson  we  may  actually 
learn  :  we  see  a  punishment  inflicted,  which  en- 
dures through  almost  numberless  years ;  we  see 
that  punishment,  in  many  respects,  very  severe, 
and  not  to  be  averted  by  repentance,  but  going 
down  with  man  to  the  grave  ;  and,  what  is  most 
remarkable,  extending  to  all  the  sons  of  Adam,  to 
endless  generations,  who  had  not  been  partakers 
of  his  crime.  Now  I  would  ask  you,  whether  this 
earliest  fact  which  we  know  respecting  God,  and 
sin  against  him,  exhibits  him  as  so  indifferent  to 
the  transgression  of  his  law,  so  indulgent  to  the 
frailty  of  his  creatures,  so  merciful  and  forgiving, 
as  you,  perhaps,  have  imagined  him  to  be  ?  On 
the  other  hand,  if  God  would  have  impressed  his 
creatures  with  a  dread  of  his  justice,  by  a  punish- 
ment which  every  man  living  should  feel,  of  which 
he  should  carry  about  him  daily  the  affecting  proof, 
what  course  could  he  have  taken  better  calculated 
to  produce  this  effect?    This  was  a  fact  for  a 


ON  THE  JUSTICE  OF  GOD. 


179 


world  to  contemplate ; — a  durable  monument  to 
be  read  by  ages  yet  unborn ; — -a  lesson  to  be  re- 
peated to  them  at  the  hour  when  the  heart  was 
most  impressible,  when  they  stood  by  the  bed- 
side of  an  expiring  friend,  or  watched,  with  a 
heart  torn  with  anguish,  the  lingering  departure 
of  a  beloved  child  ;  or  when  they  felt  themselves 
struck  and  wounded  by  the  arrows  of  death. 
Then  would  be  forcibly  felt  the  awful  truth,  that 
God  is  a  just  and  holy  God,  the  avenger  of  sin 
— that    the  wages  of  sin  is  death." 

I  am  well  aware,  how  ingenious  men  have 
tried  to  evade  the  force  of  this  proof,  by  repre- 
senting death  as  even  a  blessing  to  mankind.  It 
may  be  so,  indeed,  if  considered  as  the  necessary 
introduction  to  a  better  state  of  existence ;  but 
whether  death  itself  is  a  blessing,  let  nature, 
which  shrinks  from  it,  declare.  The  evils  of  life 
may  so  multiply  upon  us  that  we  may  welcome 
death  at  last  as  a  refuge  from  them ;  but  let  us 
still  remember,  that  those  evils  equally  prove  the 
reality  of  the  curse.  They  are,  as  it  were,  the  sad 
forerunners  of  our  dissolution ;  and  the  very  in- 
difference to  life  which  they  produce  is  itself  a 
species  of  death  the  most  painful  and  affecting, 
when  existence  becomes  a  burden  and  annihilation 
is  preferred  to  life. 

2.  But  I  pass  on  to  another  fact,  which  equally 
shews  the  terrors  which  surround  the  Divine 
Nature :  it  is  a  fact  equally  extraordinary  and 
impressive:  I  mean,  the  general  destruction  of 
mankind  by  the  Flood. ^ — Behold  the  heavens 
clothed  with  blackness  ;  the  light  of  day  totally 
hid  by  the  accumulating  clouds,  which  every 

N  2 


180 


ox  THE  JUSTICE  OF  GOD. 


hour  become  darker  and  more  heavy  ;  the  diwf\\\ 
artillery  of  the  skies  rending  the  air  with  the 
most  tremendous  sounds,  and  appalling  with 
consternation  the  multitudes  of  mankind,  who 
hitherto  had  conceived  of  God  as  too  merciful 
to  execute  his  threatened  purposes !  I  vrould 
place  you  in  view  of  this  scene :  I  would  shew 
you  the  agony  painted  in  every  countenance ; 
the  child  clinging  to  its  mother,  and  the  wife  to 
the  husband,  in  unutterable  dread  and  confusion : 
you  should  observe  the  gradual  rising  of  the 
waters,  mark  the  shaking  of  the  earth,  and  trace 
the  vain  endeavours  of  its  inhabitants  to  hide 
themselves  from  the  swift-approaching  destruc- 
tion :  then  I  would  ask,  are  there  no  terrors  in 
the  Lord  ?  Do  vou  see  nothinsf  but  smiles  of  love 
and  kindness  in  his  countenance  towards  his 
creatures?  Correct  your  error:  own  that  the 
Lord  is  dreadful  in  wrath  as  well  as  in  power, 
and  bow  before  him  and  tremble. 

3.  But  I  would  conduct  you  to  other  striking 
instances  of  his  vengeance  against  sin.  I  do  not 
notice  the  cases  of  individuals :  I  take  instances 
upon  the  largest  scale,  where  a  nation  or  a  world 
suffers  under  the  frown  of  the  Almighty.  I  would 
request  you,  then,  to  observe  the  dealings  of  God 
with  the  Jews.  The}^  were  a  nation  selected  by 
him  from  the  mass  of  mankind,  that  in  their 
history  he  might  exhibit  to  the  whole  world  a 
spectacle  of  the  laws  by  which  he  acts,  and 
might  teach  his  creatures  the  attributes  of  his 
nature.  They  were  to  be  his  witnesses,  read 
and  known  by  all  men.  Now  what  do  you  find 
in  their  history,  which  countenances  those  vague 


ON  THE  JUSTICE  OF  GOD. 


181 


and  indefinite  notions  of  Divine  mercy  which  are 
inconsistent  with  justice  or  vengeance?  To  my 
own  mind  it  chiefly  exhibits  a  display  of  Divine 
justice  and  hatred  of  sin.  It  is  the  record  of 
Divine  judgment.  You  see  the  people  of  God, 
indeed,  brought  out  of  Egypt  with  a  mighty  hand 
and  stretched-out  arm ;  but  they  are  surrounded 
on  every  side  by  the  awful  marks  of  vengeance 
against  sin,  plaguing  the  Egyptians,  and  at  length 
destroying  them  in  the  Red  Sea.  Accompany 
them  into  the  wilderness :  there  God  reveals 
himself,  and  gives  the  Law  upon  Mount  Horeb. 
But,  behold,  the  mount  burns  with  fire,  and  the 
terrors  of  the  Lord  are  so  awful  that  even  Moses 
fears  and  quakes.  Pass  along  with  them  to  the 
promised  land  :  what  alarming  instances  do  you 
behold  of  the  punishment  of  sin !  Fiery  serpents 
destroying  the  people  ;  the  pestilence  raging,  and 
carrying  off  thousands  in  a  day  ;  the  earth  open- 
ing her  mouth,  and  swallowing  up  the  guilty  in  a 
moment!  You  shudder  at  the  view,  and  long  to 
finish  the  forty  years  of  painful  sojourning,  and 
to  accompany  them  into  the  land  of  promise. 
But  ere  you  enter,  behold  Moses,  the  faithful 
servant  of  the  Lord,  even  he,  for  one  transgression, 
must  not  be  permitted  to  pass  over  Jordan :  he 
may  see  with  his  eyes  the  good  land,  and  must 
then  retire  to  die,  as  an  awful  proof  of  the  jea- 
lousy of  God.  The  children  of  Israel,  however, 
pass  into  the  land  of  Canaan  ;  but  their  entry  is 
marked  by  scenes  of  desolation.  The  guilt  of 
the  Amorites  was  full ;  and  God  settles  his  own 
people  in  a  land  wet  with  the  blood  of  the  inha- 
bitants, whose  sins  he  was  so  awfully  visiting. — 


182 


ON  THE  JUSTICE  OF  GOD. 


And  now  observe  the  state  of  the  Israelites,  the 
promised  seed :  for  four  hundred  years  they  them- 
selves are  harassed  and  vexed  by  the  Philistines  : 
because  they  were  disobedient  to  their  God,  **  he 
sold  them  into  the  hands  of  their  enemies."  At 
length  David  arises  and  delivers  them,  and  esta- 
blishes his  kingdom  in  power.  It  is,  however, 
but  a  short  interval  of  peace  which  they  enjoy. 
Soon,  according  to  the  prediction  of  the  Prophets, 
they  are  carried  captive  to  Babylon,  and  for 
seventy  years  their  land  is  left  to  lie  desolate,  on 
account  of  the  neglect  of  the  Sabbaths  and  the 
appointed  ordinances  of  Jehovah. — But  I  hasten 
on  to  the  conclusion  of  their  history.  They  re- 
ject the  promised  Messiah  ;  and  from  that  day  to 
the  present,  the  descendants  of  Abraham,  Isaac, 
and  Jacob,  have  become  outcasts  upon  the  face 
of  the  earth ;  without  a  country  or  city  to  dwell 
in ;  without  a  king  to  rule  over  them,  or  a  temple 
in  which  to  worship.  Well  might  Moses  say  to 
them,  Beware!  your  God  is  a  jealous  God." 
— And  now  sum  up  the  whole  of  their  history, 
and  see  if  you  can  give  to  it  any  other  interpre- 
tation than  that  it  is  a  display  of  the  holiness  and 
justice  of  God,  "  by  no  means  clearing  the  guilty." 

There  are  two  other  great  events  to  which  I 
must  request  your  attention. 

4.  See  the  illustrious  Person  who  hangs  sus- 
pended upon  the  cross — a  spectacle  at  which  the 
sun  grows  dark,  and  earth  shakes,  and  the  tombs 
are  opened  !  See  there  the  Son  of  God,  giving  him- 
self up  to  be  a  victim  of  death,  a  propitiation  for 
sin,  a  sacrifice  to  Divine  Justice !  Here  reflect  a 
moment  upon  the  views  which  the  Divine  Being 


ON  THE  JUSTICE  OF  GOD. 


183 


must  have  entertained  of  sin,  when  he  thought  it 
necessary  that  such  a  sacrifice  should  be  offered 
ere  pardon  was  granted  even  to  repenting  sinners. 
Upon  your  system,  there  was  no  occasion  for 
such  an  atonement :  according  to  your  views  of 
the  Divine  nature,  it  was  an  easy  thing  for  God 
to  pardon  sin ;  it  was  even  a  delight  to  him,  and 
the  perfection  of  his  nature,  to  display  unbounded 
mercy  and  goodness.  But  how  is  this  fact  to  be 
reconciled  with  your  theory  ?  Upon  that  system, 
indeed,  which  ascribes  perfect  holiness  and  the 
most  awful  vengeance  to  God,  it  is  natural,  and 
easily  accounted  for :  it  is  in  unison  with  that  sup- 
position :  on  any  other,  it  is  inexplicable. 

5.  But  accompany  me  yet  further:  we  will 
travel  by  a  short  anticipation  to  the  end  of  the 
journey  of  life.  Behold  the  rising  dead !  See  the 
millions  of  mankind  assembling ;  and  behold  the 
angels  separating  them,  and  the  Judge  of  all, 
with  a  frown,  commanding  the  wicked  to  depart 
from  him  into  everlasting  fire  prepared  for  the 
devil  and  his  angels !  Do  you  see  in  this  awful 
scene  any  marks  of  that  tenderness  which  cannot 
punish,  that  mercy  which  always  spares  ?  No  : 
the  wicked  are  banished  for  ever  ;  their  memory 
is  forgotten ;  they  are  shut  up  in  everlasting  fire, 
where  the  worm  dieth  not,  and  where  the  fire  is 
not  quenched. 

Put  together  all  these  facts.  Whatever  might  be 
thought  of  any  one  of  them  singly,  it  is  upon  their 
harmony,  their  coincidence  with  each  other,  that 
the  argument  depends.    There  is  an  awful  cor- 


184 


ON  THE  J  L  SI  ICE  OF  GOD. 


respondence  between  them,  which  clearly  indi- 
cates the  same  plain  design  and  the  same  Author ; 
and,  added  together,  they  establish  the  fact,  that 
God  has  his  terrors  as  well  as  his  mercies,  and 
that  his  justice  is  as  conspicuous  as  his  love. 

Hitherto  I  have  spoken  only  oi  facts ;  but  from 
the  history  of  God's  dealings  with  mankind  we 
must  now  turn  our  attention  to  his  express  decla- 
rations. Now,  from  the  first  chapter  of  the  word 
of  God  to  the  close  of  the  sacred  canon,  its  lan- 
guage is  in  perfect  unison  with  the  facts  I  have 
adduced.  God  is  every  w^here  represented  as  a 
holy  and  jealous  God,  who  designs,  by  his  word, 
to  awaken  in  our  minds  a  dread  of  his  displea- 
sure, and  a  deep  sense  of  the  necessity  of  strict 
obedience  to  his  law.  It  is  impossible,  in  the  short 
time  limited  for  me,  to  make  long  quotations  from 
Scripture  :  and  indeed  it  is  unnecessary  ;  for  they 
must  be  very  ignorant  of  the  Bible  who  are  un- 
able readily  to  refer  to  such  passages.  The  Pro- 
phets were  inspired  by  God  to  exhibit  just  views 
of  his  character ;  and  they  so  repeatedly,  so  aw- 
fully, and  so  fully  denounce  his  wrath  against  sin, 
that  their  prophecies  express  almost  continually 
threatenings  and  woe.  The  writers  of  the  Psalms 
mingle,  with  the  most  delightful  representations 
of  the  love  of  God,  the  most  awful  view  of  his 
justice  and  punishment  of  sinners.  Our  Lord 
delivered  some  of  the  most  alarming  declarations 
respecting  the  doom  of  the  wicked,  and  the  indig- 
nation of  God  against  sin.  His  Apostles,  though 
eminently  the  heralds  of  glad  tidings,  yet  sane- 


ON  THE  JUSTICE  OF  GOD.  185 

tion  also,  in  the  most  positive  terms,  all  that  the 
Prophets  had  said  concerning  the  judgments  of 
God. 

But  it  is  not  only  the  positive  language  of  the 
Prophets  and  Apostles,  which  declares  the  justice 
of  the  Lord  ;  a  perpetual  acknowledgment  of  it  is 
interwoven  into  the  very  frame  and  contexture  of 
the  Jewish  religious  service.  It  was  a  form  of 
worship  strongly  expressive  of  the  state  of  man 
as  a  sinner.  It  seemed  to  consist  almost  entirely 
of  expiation .  The  blood  of  victims,  at  almost  every 
hour,  was  streaming  upon  the  altars  of  Jehovah  ; 
men  were  always  appearing  before  God  as  a  just 
and  angry  God,  and  appeasing  him  by  sacrifice. 
In  unison  with  this  system,  the  Christian  dispen- 
sation teaches  us  to  prostrate  ourselves  before 
God  in  the  name  of  Christ,  and  to  approach  the 
Most  High  confessing  our  guilt,  and  deprecating 
Divine  justice  for  the  sake  of  the  great  Atone- 
ment. It  is  not,  therefore,  upon  any  single  de- 
claration of  the  eternity  of  Divine  punishment 
that  we  rest  the  proof  of  this  doctrine;  nor  upon 
the  expressions  of  any  one  Prophet  or  Apostle  ; 
nor  even  upon  the  concurrent  testimony  of  them 
all ; — we  appeal  to  the  harmony  of  the  whole 
Revelation  of  God  ;  to  the  correspondence  of  in- 
spired testimony  with  authenticated  facts  ;  to  the 
connection  of  the  whole  with  the  system  of  wor- 
ship which  God  has  enjoined,  and  even  with  that 
highest  and  clearest  dispensation  of  mercy  which 
he  has  given  to  man.  This  accumulated  evidence 
becomes  irresistible.  Declarations  might  be  limit- 
ed ;  arguments  might  be  distorted ;  but  proofs 
thus  combined  are  subject  to  no  ambiguity  :  their 


186 


ox  THE  JUSTICE  OF  GOD. 


application  is  universal,  and  their  force  cannot 
be  evaded. 

Knowing,  therefore,  the  terror  of  the  Lord, 
we  persuade  men." 

And  first  I  call  on  the  careless  sinner  to  pause 
and  tremble  at  this  view  of  the  character  of  God. 

I  probably  speak  to  some  who  are  living  in  the 
daily  violation  of  God's  commands.  You  know, 
for  I  speak  to  your  consciences — you  know  that 
vou  are  habitual  sinners,  and  that  vou  have  not 
repented,  and  do  not  repent :  yet  you  presump- 
tuously hope  that  God  will  be  merciful  to  you, 
and  will  not  destroy  the  work  of  his  own  hands. 
You  have  been  told  perhaps,  and  you  eagerly 
catch  at  the  delusive  report,  that  God  is  very  mer- 
ciful, and  did  not  make  man  to  destroy  him.  But 
will  you  believe  his  own  declarations  ?  They  are 
clear  and  plain,  that  no  drunkard,  no  whore- 
monger or  unclean  person — in  a  word,  no  sinner, 
remaining  such — shall  ever  be  admitted  into  the 
kingdom  of  God.  Will  you  credit  the  testimony 
of  facts  ?  They  are  equally  decisive.  Look  at  the 
old  world  deluged  by  a  flood.  They  could  not 
believe  that  God  would  destroy  his  own  works, 
till  the  flood  came  and  swept  them  all  away. 
Have  you  considered  that  the  Bible  must  be 
shewn  to  be  false,  before  you  can  hope  to  be 
saved  ?  Dreadful  alternative  1  Why  will  you  put 
your  salvation  to  such  hazard  ?  Why  will  you 
compel  the  Almighty  to  condemn  you  ?  Behold, 
he  sent  his  Son  to  save  you ;  and  you  will  not 
hear  him,  nor  receive  his  salvation  !  By  the 
terrors  of  the  Lord,  I  entreat  you  to  consider  how 


ON  THE  JUSTICE  OF  GOD. 


187 


dreadful  must  be  the  wrath  of  the  Almighty.  Be 
not  deceived  by  vain  imaginations.  You  know 
nothing  of  God  but  what  his  word  has  declared  ; 
and  there  you  learn  that  he  sees  with  abhorrence, 
and  that  he  will  visit  by  correction  or  punishment, 
every  act  of  wilful  disobedience. 

Be  careful,  therefore,  to  avoid  temptation.  Im- 
press your  mind  with  a  salutary  dread  of  God's 
displeasure.  This  is  the  best  safeguard  of  virtue, 
and  is  by  no  means  inconsistent  with  the  most 
fervent  love  to  God.  The  most  dutiful  and  affec- 
tionate son  will  be  most  afraid  of  his  father's  anger. 
— Learn  also  to  prize  that  atonement  which  God 
has  given  you  in  his  beloved  Son.  You  cannot 
love  God  too  much,  nor  feel  too  high  a  sense  of 
your  obligation  to  him.  Shew  then,  by  your  obe- 
dience to  his  law,  and  by  your  fear  of  sin,  how 
much  you  love  him,  and  how  highly  you  value 
his  approbation. 

Lastly,  let  us  learn  to  guard  against  those  sys- 
tems, whether  philosophical  or  religious,  which 
would  in  any  wise  diminish  our  dread  of  sin,  or 
lead  us  to  look  upon  it  without  horror.  The  true 
test  of  the  excellence  of  any  system  should  be  the 
holy  jealousy  of  sin  which  it  produces,  and  the 
watchfulness  it  inspires  against  its  approach. 
Such  is  evidently  the  main  design  of  Revelation. 
It  displays,  in  the  strongest  light,  the  evil  of  sin ; 
and  cherishes  in  us  such  a  dread  of  it,  that  we 
may  be  better  fitted  to  dwell  in  that  world  where 
obedience  to  God  is  pure,  and  perfect,  and  un- 
interrupted. 


188 


SERMON  XIII. 

ON  THE  PARENTAL  CHARACTER  OF  GOD. 


DEUT.  XXxii.  6. 

Is  not  he  thy  Father  ? 

The  term  Father  implies  all  that  is  most  tender 
and  affectionate.    The  love  of  a  father  is  immea- 
surable.   It  extends  to  every  thing  w^hich  can 
affect  the  welfare  of  his  offspring :  it  leads  him  to 
anticipate  all  the  dangers  to  which  his  child  is 
exposed,  that  he  may  guard  against  them ;  all  the 
inconveniences  to  which  it  may  be  subject,  that 
he  may  remove  them ;  all  its  wants,  ere  yet  they 
are  felt,  that  he  may  supply  them ;  all  the  ad- 
vantages, comforts,  and  blessings  which  he  can 
procure  for  his  offspring,  that  he  may  obtain  them. 
By  day  he  labours  for  his  child  ;  by  night  he 
watches  for  him ;  and  often  are  his  eyes  kept 
waking  upon  his  bed,  while  the  welfare  of  his  un- 
conscious child  is  the  subject  of  his  anxious  care. 

His  love  is  also  unchangeable.  The  want  of  a 
suitable  return  will  not  extinguish  it ;  sickness, 
infirmity,  calamity,  will  not  damp  it ;  the  disap- 
pointment of  all  his  hopes  will  not  destroy  it;  time 
itself  will  not  efface  it.  To  the  very  last  beat  of 
the  pulse,  amidst  all  the  languor  of  sickness,  or 
even  the  pain  of  dying,  under  every  circumstance 


ON  THE  PARENTAL  CHARACTER  OF  GOD.  189 

which  chills  or  suppresses  the  affection  of  others, 
a  father  feels  the  welfare  of  his  child  dearer  to 
him  than  his  own.  It  is  true,  indeed,  that  the  love 
of  a  parent,  like  every  thing  else  in  this  fallen 
world,  partakes  of  the  imperfections  which  cleave 
to  human  nature.  Other  passions  may  disturb  its 
influence ;  the  breast  in  which  it  resides  may  be 
unpropitious  to  its  full  development ;  folly  and 
sin,  the  bane  of  every  thing  good,  may  poison  its 
very  sources ;  but  the  proper  tendency  of  pa- 
rental regard  is  what  I  have  stated,  and  its  general 
character  such  as  I  have  described.  For  my  own 
part,  ever  since  I  could  form  any  observation  of 
the  human  character,  I  have  been  accustomed  to 
associate  with  the  name  of  Father  all  that  is 
venerable,  tender,  and  affectionate.  Many  years 
have  now  passed  since  I  could  call  any  one  by 
that  endearing  appellation ;  but  no  course  of  time 
will  ever  obliterate  the  memory  of  that  unvary- 
ing kindness,  that  incessant  solicitude,  that  per- 
petual watchfulness,  that  affectionate  sympathy 
in  my  trouble,  that  abounding  joy  in  my  happi- 
ness, which  for  so  many  years  I  daily  witnessed. 
I  appeal,  for  the  truth  of  my  representation  of 
parental  love,  to  the  oldest  persons  here  present. 
I  ask  them,  whether,  after  the  revolution  of  per- 
haps half  a  century,  the  impression  of  parental 
tenderness  does  not  still  remain  indelible;  whether 
memory  does  not  upon  this  summons  instantly  call 
up  innumerable  proofs  of  kindness,  which  cause 
the  heart  to  dissolve  in  grateful  recollection.  I 
appeal  to  the  feelings  of  every  parent  in  this 
numerous  assembly,  and  ask  them  if  the  descrip- 
tion I  have  given  of  a  father's  heart  be  not  correct. 


190  ON  THE  PARENTAL  CHARACTER  OF  GOD. 

They  know  with  what  anxiety  they  watch  over 
their  offspring;  how  incessant  their  cares,  how 
unvarying  their  regard ;  how  much  they  live  in 
the  welfare  of  their  children.  I  appeal  to  you 
who  still  enjoy  the  privilege  of  having  a  parent, 
if  you  do  not  daily  witness  such  proofs  of  regard 
and  solicitude  for  your  welfare  as  will  justify  the 
representation  which  I  have  made.  It  is  true,  that 
the  painful,  though  necessary,  restraints  which  are 
imposed  upon  you  by  parental  authority,  may 
check  those  feelings  of  grateful  affection  which 
else  would  force  themselves  upon  your  minds. 
You  think  you  may  complain  of  hardships  which 
you  perhaps  sustain;  but  that  very  complaint 
originates  in  the  high  conception  which  you  have 
justly  formed  of  parental  tenderness,  and  which 
you  may  conceive  not  to  be  realized  in  your  par- 
ticular case.  But  allow  me  to  observe,  that  you 
perhaps  are  at  present  very  inadequate  judges  of 
the  wisdom  with  which  the  cares  of  a  parent  are 
exerted.  The  time  may  arrive  when  you  will 
be  better  qualified,  from  experience,  to  form  a 
correct  judgment  of  the  proper  effects  of  a  well- 
regulated  affection  :  and  then  you  will  probably 
observe,  even  in  the  restraints  to  which  parental 
authority  may  have  subjected  you,  solid  and  sub- 
stantial proofs  of  the  most  tender  regard. 

Parental  affection  is  implanted  in  the  breast  by 
the  Author  of  our  frame,  for  the  protection  and 
benefit  of  our  offspring.  It  is  not  left  to  reason 
to  shew  its  necessity,  nor  to  conscience  to  urge 
the  observance  of  it ;  but  it  is  interwoven  in  the 
frame  of  man,  and  begins  to  influence  his  conduct 
as  soon  as  its  operation  is  necessary.  Being  thus 


ON  THE  PARENTAL  CHARACTER  OF  GOD.  191 

implanted  in  us,  it  is  cherished  by  the  dependent 
state  of  children,  who  know  no  other  protectors 
but  their  parents,  and  have  no  house  but  theirs 
in  which  to  find  an  habitation.  But  God  has 
further  strengthened  the  bonds  of  parental  regard 
by  the  firmest  ties  of  moral  and  religious  duty. 
In  savage  nations,  its  force  is  felt  with  irresistible 
strength,  through  the  mere  instinct  of  nature ; 
but  in  more  polished  societies,  it  is  still  further 
enforced  by  the  obligations  of  reason  and  religion, 
law  and  equity,  honour  and  conscience; — so  im- 
portant is  it  justly  considered,  so  reproachful  is 
the  want  of  it  esteemed,  both  by  God  and  man. 

But  it  is  not  my  design  in  this  discourse  to 
shew  the  strength  of  parental  tenderness,  to  en- 
force the  practice  of  it,  or  to  urge  upon  children 
the  necessity  of  filial  obedience.  Great  as  these 
objects  are,  I  have  an  end  in  view  even  higher 
and  more  important  than  these.  I  would  call 
forth  the  warmest  filial  feelings  of  you  that  are 
children  in  this  assembly :  I  would  excite  all 
your  gratitude,  your  confidence,  your  love ;  and, 
without  any  diminution  of  your  regard  to  an 
earthly  parent,  direct  you  to  transfer  them  to 
Him  who  is  indeed  our  Father,  the  best,  as  he  is 
the  greatest,  object  of  affection.  Oh  that  you 
knew  and  loved  him  as  you  honour  and  love  that 
tender  earthly  parent  who  derives  all  his  regard 
for  you  from  the  care  and  providence  of  your 
Heavenly  Father!  I  would  excite  in  you,  ye 
parents  !  all  that  love  and  tenderness  (not  difficult 
to  be  excited)  which  dwell  in  your  bosoms  to- 
wards your  beloved  children ;  and,  whilst  your 
hearts  glow  with  affection,  and  the  most  fervent 


192  ON  THE  PARENTAL  CHARACTER  OF  GOD. 

desires  for  their  welfare,  I  would  say  to  you, 
Behold  in  those  feelings  the  just  emblem  of  that 
solicitude  for  the  welfare  of  man  which  dwells  in 
the  Divine  breast ! — Yes,  my  brethren  ;  we  all 
have  a  Father  whom  we  have  not  yet  seen,  but 
whose  eyes  have  ever  been  upon  us  to  protect 
and  bless  us  ;  whose  hand  has  held  up  our  infant 
steps,  and  guarded  and  defended  us  from  innu- 
merable dangers ;  whose  bounty  has  fed  us,  and 
enriched  us  with  every  blessing  which  we  have 
enjoyed,  from  the  moment  of  our  birth  to  the 
present  hour ;  whose  mercies  surround  us  on 
every  side,  so  that  we  can  direct  our  eyes  to  no 
point  but  we  behold  them,  we  can  look  back  to  no 
period  but  we  remember  them,  we  cannot  turn 
our  view  into  futurity  but  we  anticipate  them. 
It  is  my  desire  to  set  before  you  this  Best  and 
most  Gracious  of  Beings,  in  his  mild  paternal 
character,  that  you  may  feel  towards  him  the 
gratitude  and  love  and  confidence  which  you 
ought  ever  to  entertain.  And  oh  that  God,  who 
has  given  us  so  high  and  distinguishing  a  privilege 
above  the  lower  orders  of  creatures,  an  under- 
standing capable  of  knowing  him  and  of  reposing 
in  perfect  confidence  under  his  benignant  govern- 
ment ;  oh  that  he  may  help  us  in  this  our  design ! 
that  we  may  all  feel  towards  him  the  sentiments 
of  veneration,  love,  and  gratitude  by  which  all 
his  creatures  ought  to  be  animated,  and  which 
are  in  fact  continually  felt  by  all  those  holy  and 
perfect  beings  who  dwell  with  him  in  glory ! 

My  brethren,  is  not  God  your  Father  ?  Did 
not  he  create  you  ?  Did  not  he  contrive  for  your 


ON  THE  PARENTAL  CHARACTER  OF  GOD.  193 

use  the  eyes  by  which  you  behold  with  such  de- 
light the  various  objects  around  you  ?  Did  not  he 
form  with  exquisite  skill  the  ear  by  which  sounds 
are  conveyed  to  your  minds — organs  whose  nicety 
of  construction  it  exceeds  the  ingenuity  of  man 
adequately  to  comprehend  ?  Was  it  not  his  wis- 
dom which  fashioned  your  limbs;  endued  the  will 
with  power  to  use  the  muscles ;  caused  the  heart 
to  beat,  propelling  the  current  of  blood  through 
all  the  infinite  channels  of  its  course  ;  and  endued 
the  brain  with  vital  energy  ?  Has  not  his  power 
and  wisdom  provided  organs  wonderfully  calcu- 
lated to  digest  the  food,  to  form  from  it  a  thou- 
sand different  liquids  necessary  for  the  existence 
and  comfort  of  the  frame  ?  Have  you  not  derived 
from  his  care  and  bounty  the  rich  endowments  of 
the  mind, — the  imagination,  able  to  penetrate 
through  every  space,  to  travel  in  an  instant 
through  every  distance  ;  to  deck  every  object 
with  the  most  brilliant  colours ;  the  memory,  to 
recal  distant  occurrences,  and  place  them  as 
present  before  the  mind;  the  judgment,  to  com- 
pare and  separate ;  the  will,  to  choose  and  deter- 
mine ?  Are  any  of  these  faculties,  which  so  dis- 
tinguish and  adorn  man,  created  by  yourself? 
Are  you  indebted  for  them  to  the  care  and  kind- 
ness of  your  earthly  parents  ?  Are  they  not  all 
designed,  contrived,  provided,  and  given  to  you 
by  Him  who  is  the  Source  of  all  good  ?  Is  not 
he  then,  in  the  proper,  in  the  fullest  sense  of  the 
word,  your  Father  ?  Was  it  not  he,  who,  having 
created  you,  committed  you  to  the  charge  of 
your  earthly  parents,  and  disposed  their  minds 
to  love  you,  to  nurse  your  infancy  with  fondness, 
VOL.  ir.  o 


194   ON  THE  PARENTAL  CHARACTER  OF  GOD. 

and  to  watch  with  unceasing  care  over  your  wel- 
fare ?  Is  it  not,  therefore,  in  a  secondary  sense 
only  that  we  are  to  ascribe  the  term  of  Father  to 
our  earthly  parent,  while  the  primary  and  full 
meaning  of  the  word  belongs  only  to  our  Creator  ? 
Let  us,  my  brethren,  know  our  true  state ;  let  us 
understand  our  high  dignity  and  noble  birth.  Let 
us  remember,  that,  in  having  God  for  our  Father, 
we  possess  the  highest  honour  and  the  noblest 
privilege  which  any  created  beings  can  enjoy. 

But,  secondly,  there  is  another  sense  in  which 
the  title  of  Father  is  justly  claimed  by  God.  He 
is  the  Father  who  hath  bought  us.  When  man,  by 
his  rebellion  against  his  Maker,  had  forfeited  the 
title  of  a  son,  it  pleased  God  to  provide  an  atone- 
ment for  him.  Through  the  sacrifice  of  our  Re- 
deemer, God  offered  to  restore  his  offending  chil- 
dren, in  the  most  ample  manner,  to  the  privileges 
which  they  had  lost ;  and,  as  the  Father  of  our 
Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ,  to  become,  in  a 
still  higher  sense  than  before,  our  Father  also. 
He  would  be  justly  considered  as  acting  towards 
us  the  part  of  a  parent,  and  as  deserving  all  our 
filial  confidence  and  gratitude,  who,  after  our  tem- 
poral death,  should  bestow  on  us  a  second  life; 
who  should  deliver  us  from  ruin  and  decay,  and 
place  us  in  a  new  and  happy  state  of  existence. 
With  what  reason,  then,  ought  we  to  call  him  our 
Father,  who  has,  by  the  death  of  his  Son,  re- 
deemed us  from  eternal  death,  and  rendered  us 
capable  of  enjoying  eternal  happiness  and  glory  ? 
In  this  sense,  our  blessed  Lord  has  taught  us  to 
look  up  to  God  as  our  Father  :  I  ascend,"  says 
he,     unto  my  Father  and  your  Father,  and  to 


ox  THE  PARENTAL  CHARACTER  OF  GOD.  195 

my  God  and  your  God."  And  indeed  the  New 
Testament,  in  every  page,  exhibits  to  us  this  de- 
hghtful  view  of  our  Creator.  It  continually  teaches 
us  to  look  to  him  as  a  reconciled  Father  in  Jesus 
Christ.  It  speaks  of  the  Spirit  of  adoption  sent 
into  our  hearts,  whereby  we  cry,  Abba,  Father — 
teaching  us,  that  is,  to  draw  near  to  God  with 
humble  boldness,  through  Christ,  as  to  a  Father, 
and  to  repose  in  him  all  filial  confidence. 

When  I  have  reflected  upon  the  numerous  and 
signal  proofs  which  God  has  given  of  his  paternal 
feelings  towards  us,  I  have  often  been  surprised 
that  those  whose  gratitude  to  their  earthly  parents 
is  unbounded,  and  whose  confidence  in  them 
never  fails,  should  shew  so  little  affection  to  their 
Heavenly  Father,  and  rely  so  little  on  his  love 
and  mercy.  The  reasons  of  this  inconsistency 
appear  to  me  to  be  the  following. 

First,  The  undue  attachment  which  we  are  apt 
to  place  on  objects  of  sense.  We  see  and  converse 
with  an  earthly  parent,  but  our  bodily  senses  do 
not  inform  us  of  the  presence  of  God.  Yet  the 
proofs  of  his  presence  are  actually  more  strong 
and  numerous  than  those  which  attest  the  exist- 
ence of  any  material  object ;  and  all  the  blessings 
which  we  have  ever  enjoyed  concur  to  prove,  that 
it  is  as  a  Father  that  he  is  present  with  us,  to  pro- 
tect us  and  to  do  us  good. 

Secondly,  Through  the  weakness  of  the  human 
understanding,  we  continually  entertain  an  undue 
estimation  of  second  causes.  We  do  not  feel  the 
extent  of  our  obligations  to  our  Heavenly  Father, 
because  many  of  the  blessings  which  he  bestows 
are  communicated  to  us  by  some  instrument  ap- 

O  2 


196  ON  THE  PARENTAL  CHARACTER  OF  GOD. 

pointed  for  that  end.    Now  we  should  esteem  it 
a  strange  degree  of  absurd  reasoning,  if  a  poor 
man,  to  whom  we  sent  our  bounty  by  an  agent, 
were  to  express  no  gratitude  to  us,  but  much  to 
the  person  whom  we  might  employ.    Yet  we  all 
reason  too  frequently  in  this  manner  with  respect 
to  the  great  Author  of  all  good.    What  we  obtain 
through  the  kindness  of  our  parents,  we  attri- 
bute solely  to  them,  not  considering  who  has  in- 
duced their  minds  to  feel  towards  us  that  parental 
tenderness.  What  we  procure  through  our  own 
labour  we  ascribe  to  ourselves,  not  reflecting  that 
it  is  in  this  way  that  God  inclines  and  enables  us 
to  obtain  the  good  he  bestows  upon  us.  Could 
we  withdraw  the  veil  which  is  interposed  between 
us  and  the  Divine  Being,  we  should  clearly  see 
that  there  is  not  a  blessing  which  we  enjoy  which 
has  not  been  given  to  us  by  the  provident  and 
watchful  beneficence  of  God,  and  that  men  have 
been  only  the  instruments  of  his  bounty.  But 
there  is  in  our  hearts  a  reluctance  to  set  God  be- 
fore us.  We  know  enough  of  his  majesty  to  shrink 
from  his  presence  ;  enough  of  his  holiness  to  be 
afraid  of  his  inspection  ;  enough  of  his  justice  to 
tremble  at  our  guilt.  We  do  not  like,  therefore,  to 
retain  him  in  our  knowledge.  He  is  a  Being  whom 
we  consider  as  too  great  to  be  connected  with  us 
but  as  our  Lawgiver  and  our  Judge,  and  there- 
fore  we  rather  turn  our  attention  from  him.  But 
Revelation  is  given  to  rectify  this  false  estimate 
of  the  Divine  character.    It  displays  the  good- 
ness of  God,  as  well  as  his  justice  :  it  represents 
him  as  our  Father,  as  well  as  our  Judge  :  it  be- 
seeches us  to  lay  aside  our  dread  of  him  and  our 


ON  THE  PARENTAL  CHARACTER  OF  GOD.  197 


enmity  towards  him.  Now,  then,  we  pray  you, 
in  Christ's  stead,  be  ye  reconciled  to  God  ;  for 
he  hath  made  Him  to  be  sin  for  us  who  knew  no 
sin,  that  we  might  be  made  the  righteousness  of 
God  in  him." 

It  is  to  this  state  of  reconciliation  with  God  to 
which,  by  the  help  of  his  Holy  Spirit,  I  would 
wish  to  guide  you.  I  would  cause  all  his  good- 
ness to  pass  before  you.  I  would  proclaim  to 
you  his  Name,  as  he  himself  proclaimed  it  to 
Moses  :  The  Lord,  the  Lord  God  merciful  and 
gracious,  long-suffering,  and  abundant  in  goodness 
and  truth,  keeping  mercy  for  thousands,  forgiving 
iniquity  and  transgression  and  sin,  and  that  will 
by  no  means  clear  the  guilty."  I  would  set  be- 
fore you  such  a  display  of  the  Divine  goodness 
and  love  that  your  hearts  should  be  drawn  to  him 
by  the  cords  of  affection,  and  that  from  hence- 
forth you  might  give  up  to  him  your  bodies  and 
souls,  as  a  lively  and  reasonable  sacrifice. 

It  will  probably,  however,  be  generally  acknow- 
ledged, that  the  character  of  God  is  good  and 
gracious.  This  degree  of  acquaintance  with  his 
nature  is  easily  attained.  It  is  in  the  practical 
use  of  such  knowledge  that  we  are  chiefly  apt  to 
fail.  This  is  therefore  the  end  to  which  I  now 
shall  direct  your  attention.  I  will  suppose  you, 
then,  to  allow  that  God  is  love ;  that  his  mercy 
and  goodness  are  infinite ;  that  his  bounty  is  in- 
exhaustible ;  that  the  gift  of  his  Son  to  be  our  Re- 
deemer proves,  beyond  contradiction,  his  thoughts 
of  mercy  to  be  as  far  above  our  thoughts  as  the 
heavens  are  above  the  earth  ;  that  he  is  conti- 


198  ON  THE  PARENTAL  CHARACTER  OF  GOD. 

nually  doing  us  good,  using  his  infinite  power  only 
for  that  purpose  ;  that,  in  a  word,  he  is  in  the 
highest  sense  of  the  expression  our  Father ; — 
what,  then,  ought  to  be  your  thoughts  and  con- 
duct towards  him  ? 

1 .  In  the  first  place,  you  ought  to  entertain  the 
highest  reverence  for  his  laws. — The  commands 
of  a  Father  should  justly  be  esteemed  sacred ; 
because  they  are  given  by  him,  and  because  they 
can  only  be  dictated  by  love  to  his  children.  If 
you  were  to  see  a  parent  most  kind  and  benevo- 
lent in  his  nature,  and  peculiarly  affectionate  to- 
wards his  son,  would  you  suppose  it  possible,  that 
in  the  precepts  he  gave  to  him  he  could  have  any 
end  in  view  but  his  welfare  ?  Would  not  every 
exhortation  bear  the  stamp  and  character  of  kind- 
ness and  love  ?  Such  is  the  system  of  laws  given 
to  you  by  God.  Whenever  you  open  the  Bible 
consider  it  in  this  light:  My  Heavenly  Father,  ever 
wise  and  attentive  to  my  good,  has  given  me  this 
book,  as  a  token  of  his  care  and  tenderness,  to 
point  out  to  me  the  paths  of  peace  and  eternal 
happiness.  There  is  not  a  single  precept  in  this 
volume  which  does  not  flow  from  the  purest  kind- 
ness and  the  deepest  affection,  directed  by  the 
clearest  wisdom.  How  shall  I  then  receive  it  ? 
Shall  I  not  value  it  as  my  counsellor  and  guide  ? 
Shall  I  not  cheerfully  and  readily  make  every  sa- 
crifice which  it  requires  ?  Shall  I  not  read  it  con- 
stantly, as  containing  the  will  of  my  Heavenly  Fa- 
ther ? — Such,  it  is  evident,  must  be  the  disposition 
and  views  of  those  who  consider  God  as  their 
Parent  and  their  Friend. 

2.  This  view  of  the  character  of  God  as  our 


ON  THE  PARENTAL  CHARACTER  OF  GOD.  199 


Father,  should  teach  us  to  form  a  just  idea  of  the 
true  nature  of  religion. — Religion!  with  what 
terror  has  it  been  beheld  1  How  has  it  been  con- 
sidered as  a  system  of  restraint  and  gloom,  of 
penances  and  mortifications;  enjoining  the  most 
irksome  labours,  and  threatening  dreadful  punish- 
ment if  its  conditions  were  not  fulfilled  1  Allow 
me,  from  the  preceding  considerations,  to  suggest 
a  juster  view  of  its  nature. 

Religion  is  the  homage  which  you  pay  to  your 
Heavenly  Father,  by  offering  to  him  the  worship 
of  the  heart,  and  asking  of  him  the  most  valuable 
blessings.  It  is  the  regulation  of  your  lives  by  his 
holy  word.  It  is  the  enjoyment  of  the  innume- 
rable benefits  offered  to  mankind  through  his  be- 
loved Son.  Religion  must  bear  the  stamp  and 
character  of  its  Author.  Look  at  Jesus  Christ : 
was  any  other  character  equally  amiable  ever  ex- 
hibited to  the  world  ?  Was  he  not  always  engaged 
in  going  about  doing  good  ?  Were  not  pity  and 
compassion,  kindness  and  love,  the  governing 
principles  of  his  nature  ?  Can  that  be  a  gloomy  or 
unreasonable  service  which  has  Christ  for  its  au- 
thor, and  heaven  for  its  end  ? 

True  ;  but  religion  requires  holiness,  and  holi- 
ness is  irksome  to  the  corrupt  nature  of  man.  God 
forbid  that  I  should  induce  any  of  my  hearers  to 
suppose  that  what  the  Gospel  requires  of  us  is  less 
arduous  than  in  reality  it  is,  or  that  I  should  omit 
to  represent  to  you  the  obligations  of  religion  as 
well  as  its  pleasantness,  the  justice  as  well  as  the 
compassion  and  love  of  God  !  But,  still,  when 
our  view  is  directed  to  these  awful  considerations, 
our  Fathers  tenderness  is  yet  more  clearly  dis- 


200    ON  THE  PARENTAL  CHARACTER  OF  GOD. 

cernible.  For  is  God  so  holy  and  so  high  ?  Then 
how  truly  paternal  was  it  in  him  not  to  spare  his 
only  begotten  Son,  but  to  give  him  up  as  a  sacri- 
fice for  our  sins  1  And  is  holiness  so  essentially 
requisite?  Behold  in  religion  the  provision  made 
for  the  attainment  of  it.  The  Gospel  is  glad 
tidings  of  great  joy.  It  proclaims  pardon  to  the 
penitent,  through  Jesus  Christ.  It  bids  us  draw 
near  to  God  as  reconciled  through  him.  It  speaks 
peace,  and  inspires  hope,  to  the  desponding  and 
self-condemned.  It  assures  us  of  a  Father's  aid, 
in  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  to  them  that  seek 
for  it.  Religion  is  the  restoration  of  our  fallen 
and  corrupt  nature,  through  Divine  grace,  to  a 
better  state  and  to  an  eternal  inheritance.  It  is 
intended  and  devised  to  bring  fallen  sinners  to 
heaven,  and  thus  manifests  the  tenderness  and 
mercy  which  belong  to  the  character  of  its 
Author. 

Would  to  God  that  I  could  prevail,  with  those 
who  have  hitherto  spurned  at  his  laws,  and  sought 
for  happiness  in  the  ways  of  sin,  to  consider  the 
true  character  of  Him  by  whom  those  laws  were 
given,  and  the  true  nature  of  that  religion  of  which 
they  form  a  part !  Why  will  they  reject  a  Father's 
authority  !  Why  will  they  despise  his  offered 
blessing !  Can  he  enjoin  any  thing  inconsistent  with 
their  real  happiness  ?  Was  religion  devised  for  the 
sake  of  God,  or  for  the  good  of  men  ?  Is  there  so 
much  as  one  precept,  in  the  whole  law  of  God, 
which  is  not  evidently  intended  for  our  benefit  ? 
Can  there  be  a  more  decisive  proof  that  it  is 
adapted  to  our  good  ? 

3.  Is  God  our  Father  ?  Then  we  ought  to  main- 


ON  THE  PARENTAL  CHARACTER  OF  GOD.  201 

tain  an  intercourse  with  him  by  frequent  prayer, 
and  to  praise  him  daily  for  his  innumerable  mer- 
cies. To  whom  should  a  son  apply  for  the  supply 
of  all  his  wants,  but  to  his  Father  ?  Where  should 
he  look  for  counsel,  but  from  his  Father's  wisdom  ? 
Where  for  comfort,  but  to  his  Father's  love  ?  But 
are  we  to  have  no  intercourse  with  our  Heavenly 
Father  ?  Have  we  nothing  to  solicit  from  him  ? 
No  wants  to  be  supplied?  Does  God  wish  his 
creatures  to  be  so  estranged  from  him  ?  Can  a 
Father  desire  to  have  no  intercourse  with  his  chil- 
dren ?  No  :  God  is  our  Father ;  and  we  ought  to 
pray  to  him  daily  ;  not  in  coldness  and  formality, 
but  with  the  dispositions  and  affections  of  chil- 
dren. And  while  we  live  every  day  upon  the  rich 
stores  of  his  bounty,  let  us  offer  up  to  him  con- 
tinual thanks  and  praises.  When  he  looks  round 
upon  all  his  children  supported  by  his  bounty, 
let  him  not  see  us  wanting  amidst  those  who  ac- 
knowledge that  they  owe  every  thing  to  him. 

4.  Is  God  our  Father  ?  Let  us  then  place  a  ge- 
nerous confidence  in  him.  A  son  would  be  thought 
ill  to  requite  the  goodness  of  a  tender  and  generous 
parent,  if  he  kept  at  a  distance  from  him,  placing 
no  reliance  on  his  kindness,  and  trusting  in  dis- 
tress to  others  rather  than  to  him. 

Now,  as  God  is  our  Father,  and  as  we  have 
innumerable  proofs  of  his  paternal  goodness,  it 
becomes  our  duty,  as  children,  to  place  our  whole 
trust  and  confidence  in  him.  Believe  that  he  is 
able  and  willing  to  give  all  things  needful  for 
you.  Believe  that  he  will  be  your  friend.  Call, 
then,  upon  him  in  trouble  ;  and  be  persuaded  that 
he  will  either  deliver  you  from  your  trials,  or,  if 


202    ON  THE  PARENTAL  CHARACTER  OF  GOD. 

it  is  his  purpose  by  them  to  sanctify  and  bless 
you,  will  support  you  under  them.  Be  satisfied 
with  whatever  your  Heavenly  Father  appoints  for 
you  :  know  that  there  is  not  an  affliction  which 
befals  you  which  is  not  appointed  by  him  for  your 
good.  Receive  every  mercy  as  from  his  hands ; 
and  trust  that  he  will  still,  in  answer  to  your 
prayers,  continue  according  to  your  wants  to  bless 
and  succour  you.  This,  this,  my  brethren,  is  our 
great  joy  and  consolation,  in  a  world  so  full  of 
trials  and  afflictions,  that  we  have  a  Father  to 
whose  watchful  care  we  may  trust.  In  how  for- 
lorn and  comfortless  a  state  are  those,  who  look 
upon  the  events  of  life  as  guided  by  chance,  or 
who  have  no  resource  in  their  troubles,  but  in 
their  own  prudence  to  avert,  or  in  their  own  for- 
titude to  bear  them  1  We  have  a  Father  to  whom 
we  may  apply,  and  on  whom  we  may  depend ; 
and  this  is  our  great,  our  only  solid  ground  of 
confidence  amidst  the  changes  and  chances  of  life. 
My  Heavenly  Father,"  a  Christian  will  say, 
will  order  and  appoint  every  thing  for  me.  I 
leave  to  him  my  future  lot  in  life.  Let  him  direct 
what  shall  be  my  state :  whether  I  am  to  be  rich 
or  poor — whether  I  am  to  be  prosperous  or  in  ca- 
lamity— whether  I  shall  live  long  or  die  soon,  I 
cheerfully  leave  to  the  disposal  of  Him  who  is 
my  Father.  His  will  be  done  on  earth,  as  it  is  in 
heaven." 

Lastly,  Is  God  our  Father  ?  Let  us  be  careful 
that  he  is  really  such  to  us  in  the  highest  sense. 
Let  us  take  heed  that  we  are  his  children  by  adop- 
tion and  grace,  as  well  as  by  nature.  And  to  this 
purpose  let  us  first  draw  near  to  him,  in  his  own 


ON  THE  PARENTAL  CHARACTER  OF  GOD.  203 

appointed  way,  as  penitent  sinners,  owning  our 
sins,  and  seeking  for  pardon  through  Christ  Jesus. 
Let  our  whole  hope  and  dependence  be  placed  on 
our  Redeemer ;  and  let  his  atonement  be  the  only- 
plea  we  offer  to  God.  Let  us  lay  hold  on  the 
hope  set  before  us  ;  and  then  we  shall  be  em- 
boldened to  draw  near  to  God  with  well-placed 
confidence.  This  is  the  great  end  and  aim  of  all 
religion,  to  convince  us  of  our  depraved  state  by 
nature — to  deliver  us  from  it  by  faith  in  Christ — 
and  to  communicate  to  us  peace,  and  a  lively 
hope  of  pardon,  and  a  firm  trust  and  confidence 
in  our  Heavenly  Father.  God  grant  that  we  may 
all  be  partakers  of  this  hope,  and  enjoy  this  con- 
fidence, through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord  ! 


204 


SERMON  XIV. 

ON  THE  ATONEMENT. 


HEB.  ix.  22. 

And  without  shedding  of  blood  is  no  remission. 

Is  it  not  enough  (it  may  be  asked),  in  order  to 
obtain  the  pardon  of  sins,  that  the  sinner  should 
repent  of  his  trespasses  and  reform  his  conduct  ? 
Is  not  acknowledgment  of  the  offence,  and  the  re- 
formation of  the  offender,  all  which  God  requires  ? 
In  his  threatenings  or  punishments,  has  he  any- 
other  object  ?  If  these  are  wanting,  can  any  thing 
compensate  for  them  ?  If  they  appear,  can  the 
Father  of  his  creatures,  who  delighteth  in  mercy, 
require  any  other  inducement  to  shew  it  ? 

So  have  men  reasoned  concerning  the  Divine 
proceedings.  Of  such  reasoning,  however,  we 
may  observe,  that  it  not  only  supposes  us  to  know 
adequately  the  nature  of  God,  and  all  the  ends 
he  has  in  view  in  his  dispensations  of  justice  and 
mercy ;  but  assumes  also,  that  there  can  be  no 
possible  reason  why  he  should  choose  a  particu- 
lar mode  in  which  forgiveness  shall  be  dispensed. 
Doubtless,  whenever  God  pardons  sin,  it  is  of  his 
spontaneous  grace  and  mercy ;  but  yet  that  free 
grace  is  not  at  all  diminished  by  his  choosing,  for 
wise  ends,  that  the  sinner  should  receive  his  fa- 


ON  THE  ATONEMENT. 


205 


vGurs  through  the  channel  of  some  particular  in- 
stitution. And  the  Bible— the  only  true  history 
of  God's  dealings  with  man—has,  in  fact,  shewn 
us,  that  it  has  very  frequently  pleased  him  to 
ordain  some  particular  way  of  dispensing  his 
mercies,  independently  of  the  repentance  or  the 
good  disposition  which  he  has  required  in  the 
subjects  of  them. 

Thus,  on  that  memorable  night  in  which  the 
Israelites  were  to  be  permitted  to  depart  out  of 
Egypt,  when  the  angel  of  God  passed  through 
the  land  and  smote  all  the  first-born  in  every 
house,  it  pleased  God  to  appoint,  as  the  means  of 
safety  to  his  people,  that  they  should  sprinkle  the 
door-posts  and  the  lintels  of  their  houses  with 
the  blood  of  a  lamb  ;  and  that,  when  the  destroy- 
ing angel  saw  it,  he  should  pass  over  that  house. 
For  what  purpose,  it  may  be  asked,  was  such 
a  rite  ordained?  Was  it  not  enough  that  the 
Israelites  were  his  chosen  people ;  and  that  the 
judgment  about  to  be  inflicted  was  intended  to 
effect  their  deliverance  ?  Could  it  be  needful  thus 
to  mark  their  houses,  lest  the  destroying  angel 
should  mistake  ?  Or  was  this  singular  ceremony 
to  have  the  effect  of  a  propitiation  ?  Or  what  was 
there  so  indispensable  in  the  nature  of  the  rite, 
that  prayer  to  God,  and  humble  confidence  in  his 
mercy,  could  not  have  engaged  the  Divine  protec- 
tion without  it  ?  I  reply,  that  when  we  consider 
the  rite  without  regard  to  its  institution,  there  was 
nothing  in  it  which  could  move  the  compassion  of 
God,  or  recommend  those  who  performed  it  to  his 
favour.  But  if,  for  reasons  of  his  own,  it  seemed 
good  to  him  to  prescribe  it,  as  the  condition  and 


206 


Oy  THE  ATONEMENT. 


the  medium  of  that  blessing  which  he  meant  to 
bestow,  was  he  not  at  liberty  to  do  so?  Shall  we 
say,  that  the  rite  could  not  derive  from  such  an 
appointment  a  value  and  efficacy  which  it  did  not 
naturally  possess  ?  Is  it  not,  in  short,  sufficient  to 
say,  that  the  observance  of  this  ceremony  ensured 
safety,  and  the  neglect  of  it  was  followed  by  de- 
struction, because  God  had  so  ordained  it  ? 

When  the  children  of  Israel  were  in  the  wilder- 
ness, being  discouraged  because  of  the  way,  they 
spake  against  God,  and  against  Moses.  Where- 
fore have  ye  brought  us  up  out  of  Egypt,  to  die 
in  the  wilderness  ?  for  there  is  no  bread,  neither 
is  there  any  water,  and  our  soul  loatheth  this  light 
bread.  And  the  Lord  sent  fiery  serpents  among 
the  people,  and  they  bit  the  people,  and  much 
people  of  Israel  died.  Therefore  the  people  came  to 
Moses,  and  said,  We  have  sinned,  for  we  have  spoken 
against  the  Lord,  and  against  thee  ;  pray  unto  the 
Lord,  that  he  take  away  the  serpents  from  us. 
And  Moses  prayed  for  the  people.*'  In  this  case, 
not  only  did  the  people  repent  and  confess  their 
sin,  but  Moses  also,  a  most  favoured  servant  and 
distinguished  prophet  of  the  Lord,  interceded  for 
them.  Was  not  this,  it  might  be  said,  enough  to 
obtain  forgiveness,  and  make  way  for  the  exercise 
of  the  Divine  clemency  ?  Yet  it  did  not  supersede 
the  necessity  of  a  particular  appointment  for  the 
communication  of  that  mercy.  "  And  the  Lord 
said  unto  Moses,  Make  thee  a  fiery  serpent,  and 
set  it  upon  a  pole;  and  it  shall  come  to  pass,  that 
every  one  that  is  bitten,  when  he  looketh  upon  it, 
shall  live.  And  Moses  made  a  serpent  of  brass, 
and  put  it  upon  a  pole;  and  it  came  to  pass,  that 


ON  THE  ATONEMENT. 


207 


if  a  serpent  had  bitten  any  man,  when  he  beheld 
the  serpent  of  brass  he  lived."  This  was  a  very 
remarkable  display  of  the  power  and  goodness  of 
God.  The  effect  was  no  less  than  an  instanta- 
neous and  perfect  cure  for  every  Israelite  who 
had  been  bitten.  But  how  was  this  cure  to  be 
obtained  ?  The  wounded  were  to  look  to  the 
brazen  serpent,  elevated  for  that  purpose  in  the 
midst  of  the  camp.  Consider  merely  the  natural 
efficacy  of  these  means,  and  what  expedient  could 
have  been  more  hopeless  ?  But  God  had  ordained 
it  to  be  the  remedy.  It  was  his  pleasure,  on  this 
occasion,  to  bestow  relief  on  those,  and  those 
only,  who  sought  it  in  this  particular  way.  To 
look  at  the  serpent,  therefore,  was  an  infallible 
cure  :  not  one  who  beheld  it  perished. 

But  from  these,  it  may  be  said,  being  particular 
instances,  we  can  draw  no  inference  with  respect 
to  those  more  public  and  general  manifestations 
of  mercy  which  it  is  our  purpose  to  examine.  In 
order,  therefore,  more  fully  to  illustrate  these,  let 
me  refer  you  to  the  institution  of  sacrifices,  I 
need  not  remark,  that  under  the  Mosaic  dispen- 
sation scarcely  any  mercy  was  sought  or  obtained 
without  them,  and  that  they  therefore  made  a 
principal  part  of  the  Jewish  religion.  But  I  would 
observe  farther,  that  it  was  not  with  the  Mosaic 
dispensation  that  the  use  of  them  began.  We 
must  trace  them  to  a  higher  original  and  more 
early  antiquity.  We  find  the  patriarchs  Abraham, 
Isaac,  and  Jacob,  sacrificing  to  the  Lord.  We 
read  of  Noah,  that,  on  his  liberation  from  the  ark, 
"  he  builded  an  altar,  and  took  of  every  clean 
beast,  and  of  every  clean  fowl,  and  offered  burnt 


208 


ON  THE  ATONEMENT. 


offerings  upon  the  altar  to  the  Lord  ;  " — not  only 
sacrificing,  but  making  a  selection  of  victims; 
and  thus  proving,  that  the  rite  had  been  known, 
and  certain  kinds  of  animals  appropriated  to  it,  in 
the  antediluvian  world.  Nay,  traces  of  it  may 
even  be  discerned  in  the  short  history  of  Adam 
and  his  immediate  descendants.  And  that  very 
high  notions  were  entertained,  with  regard  to  the 
importance  of  sacrifices,  may  be  learned  from  the 
accounts  we  have  of  Noah's  posterity,  who  very 
generally,  and  for  many  ages,  continued  the  prac- 
tice, even  when  they  had  lost  the  tradition  of  its 
original  and  Divine  appointment. 

Here,  then,  is  a  rite  venerable  for  its  antiquity, 
remarkable  as  being  generally  observed  through- 
out the  world,  eminently  conspicuous  in  the 
Jewish  dispensation,  and,  indeed,  constituting  an 
important  part  of  it,  in  which  we  discover  the  rule 
that  God  has  seen  fit  to  observe  in  bestowing 
pardon  upon  sinners.  It  is  not  enough  that  the 
offender  acknowledges  his  sin,  and  implores  for- 
giveness: "  Without  shedding  of  blood  there  is 
no  remission."  An  animal  must  be  sacrificed  at 
the  altar  of  God. 

But  is  there,  then,  any  assignable  fitness  in 
such  a  sacrifice  to  propitiate  the  favour  of  the  Al- 
mighty ?  "  Can  the  blood  of  bulls  and  goats  take 
away  sin  ?  Can  God,  as  the  great  Parent  of  all, 
be  delighted  with  the  violent  death  of  his  own 
creatures  ?  Or,  as  a  wise  and  righteous  Being, 
can  he  impute  the  guilt  of  rational  offenders  to 
innocent  and  irrational  animals  ? — With  whatever 
triumph  these  questions  may  have  been  asked,  or 
however  confidently  the  whole  scheme  of  vica- 


ON  THE  ATONEMENT. 


209 


rious  sacrifice  may  have  been  pronounced  absurd 
and  barbarous,  it  seems  a  sufficient  answer  to  such 
objections  to  say,  that  the  suppositions  on  which 
they  are  grounded  need  not  be  made.   Why,  for 
instance,  must  it  be  supposed  that  sacrifices  had 
any  virtue  in  themselves  to  propitiate  or  appease 
the  Deity  ?  Let  us  allow  that  they  had  in  them- 
selves no  more  efficacy  to  take  away  sin,  than  the 
sight  of  the  brazen  serpent  to  cure  the  wounded 
and  dying.    Does  this  invalidate  the  ordinance  ? 
If  God  is  pleased  to  appoint  sacrifices,  as  the  way 
in  which  alone  he  will  dispense  pardon  to  the 
guilty,  who  shall  forbid  him  ;  or  who  shall  say 
that  the  mode  he  has  adopted  is  not  the  most 
suitable  that  could  have  been  devised  ?    Is  it  for 
men  to  question  the  propriety  of  this  Divine  ap- 
pointment, because  the  reasons  of  it  may  not  be 
evident  to  them  ?   Shall  we  presume  to  charge 
God  with  cruelty,  as  delighting  in  the  blood  of 
his  unoffending  creatures ;  or  with  iniquity  and 
folly,  as  laying  guilt  upon  the  innocent  and  irra- 
tional ;  because  he  requires  the  life  of  a  victim 
as  the  condition  of  forgiving  sin?    Injustice  and 
cruelty  are  inconsistent  with  his  nature.  "  The 
righteous  Lord  loveth  righteousness."    "He  is 
good  to  all ;  his  mercies  are  over  all  his  works." 
We,  it  is  true,  can  neither  conceive  guilt  to  be 
transferred  to  the  animal  which  is  offered  as  a 
sacrifice,  nor  see  how  the  expiation  is  effected. 
But  that  it  should  be  so,  was  the  positive  ordi- 
nance of  God.    He  had  prescribed  the  rite,  and 
had  declared  that  he  would  accept  the  victim  as 
an  atonement ;  and  therefore  the  humble  and  pe- 
nitent Jew,  who  observed  this  ordinance,  was  ac- 

VOL.  II.  p 


210 


ON  THE  ATONEMENT. 


cepted,  forgiven,  and  saved  ;  while  a  proud  unbe- 
liever, who  had  rejected  the  means  of  mercy,  be- 
cause he  could  not  comprehend  the  manner  of  its 
operation,  would  have  been  left  to  perish  in  his 
sin. 

It  will  be  easily  perceived  that  the  instances 
hitherto  given  of  the  mode  in  which  God  has  dis- 
pensed his  mercy,  are  but  subordinate  parts  of  a 
general  scheme,  and  closely  connected  with  the 
great  work  of  Redemption.  All  the  types  and 
shadows  of  the  Mosaic  Law,  and  the  previous 
Divine  dispensations,  have  their  value  exceed- 
ingly increased,  when  they  are  considered  as 
forming,  with  the  Christian  scheme,  one  general 
system,  in  which,  from  the  beginning  of  the  world 
to  the  end  of  it,  the  same  general  scheme  is  car- 
ried on,  and  the  same  principles  kept  in  view. 
The  Jewish  and  Christian  dispensations  will  thus 
mutually  illustrate  and  confirm  each  other.  The 
sacrifices  of  the  Law  prepare  for  the  atonement 
of  Christ ;  and  that  atonement  reflects  a  dignity 
and  glory  upon  them,  by  manifesting  their  nature 
and  completing  their  design. 

We  will,  therefore,  now  turn  our  attention  to 
the  chief  mercy  of  God, — the  gift  of  his  Son  for 
our  redemption  ;  observing  the  mode  in  which  it 
is  dispensed,  and  comparing  it  with  those  in  which 
his  goodness  has  been  formerly  displayed,  that 
they  may  serve  to  illustrate  each  other. 

We  may  remark,  then,  the  following  particulars. 

L  The  mercy  of  God,  however  dispensed  to 
sinners,  arises  solely  from  the  benignity  of  his  own 
nature. — It  is  not  to  be  considered  as  moved  and 


ON  THE  ATONEMENT. 


211 


excited  by  the  means  which  they  must  use  to 
obtain  it.  These  are  only  the  channel  of  its  com- 
munication.   Thus,  in  the  Jewish  economy,  it 
was  not  the  sacrifice  which  moved  God's  com- 
passion, and  inclined  him  to  mercy  ;  but,  being 
already  disposed  to  shew  mercy  to  his  sinful 
creatures,  he  was  pleased  to  appoint  a  sacrifice  as 
the  mode  in  which  they  should  receive  it.  By 
attending  to  this  remark,  we  shall  perceive  the 
fallacy  of  certain  objections  to  the  doctrine  of 
atonement,  which  suppose  an  indisposition  to 
mercy  in  God,  and  that  he  was  moved  to  pity  us 
only  by  the  sufferings  of  our  Redeemer.  But,  on 
the  contrary,  the  mercy  was  spontaneous  and  free. 
Before  the  foundations  of  the  world  were  laid,  he 
foresaw  the  misery  of  man,  and,  in  compassion  for 
his  ruined  state,  had  determined  to  redeem  him. 
He  it  was  who  contrived  the  plan  of  our  salvation  ; 
who  revealed  it  by  various  intimations  to  the 
early  fathers  of  the  world  ;  who  selected  a  race  of 
men,  and  instituted  a  peculiar  economy  amongst 
them,  to  preserve  the  expectation  of  it,  and  to 
prepare  for  its  completion ;  and  who,  at  length, 
in  the  fulness  of  time,"  sent  his  Son  to  accom- 
plish and  promulgate  it.    But  we  have  seen  that 
it  has  pleased  him,  on  various  occasions,  to  ap- 
point a  special  ordinance  as  the  means  of  com- 
municating his  mercies.  When  he  exempted  the 
Israelites  from  the  death  of  the  first-born  in  Egypt, 
it  was  by  means  of  the  sprinkling  of  blood  upon 
the  lintels  of  their  houses.  When  he  healed  those 
who  had  been  bitten  by  serpents,  it  was  through 
their  looking  to  the  brazen  serpent.    Under  the 
Law,  sin  was  pardoned  on  the  offering  of  sacri- 

p  2 


212 


ON  THE  ATONEMENT. 


fices ;  and,  under  the  Christian  dispensation,  by 
faith  in  the  great  x4tonement.    In  none  of  these 
cases  is  the  grace  of  God  diminished  by  the  mode 
of  its  communication.    It  is  rather  magnified,  in 
consequence  of  the  fuller  illustration  which  it  re- 
ceives. His  goodness  to  the  Israelites  was  surely 
the  same,  whether  he  healed  them  by  requiring 
that  they  should  look  at  the  brazen  serpent,  or 
by  an  unconditional  exertion  of  his  power.  And 
the  ordinance  had,  at  least,  this  advantage,  that 
the  miracle  appeared  greater,  when  thus  con- 
trasted with  the  total  inefficiency  of  the  means. 
Nor  is  it  less  an  evidence  of  his  mercy  to  us,  that 
he  has  saved  us  through  faith  in  a  Redeemer,  than 
if  he  had  pardoned  and  restored  us  without  any 
propitiation.  Yet,  when  we  contemplate  the  Ran- 
som which  he  was  pleased  to  provide,  and  believe, 
as  we  ought,  that  there  is  a  suitableness  in  the 
provision,  it  undoubtedly  gives  us  a  view,  both 
of  our  guilt,  and  of  the  greatness  of  his  mercy 
towards  us,  which  we  could  never  otherwise  have 
obtained.    We  know,  in  fact,  that  all  those  lofty 
conceptions  of  the  love  of  God  to  sinners,  and 
those  rapturous  emotions  of  gratitude  on  account 
of  it,  which  we  often  observe  in  the  writings  of 
the  early  Christians,  have  been  formed  and  raised 
by  this  very  consideration.    It  was  this  view  of 
the  great  atonement  of  Him    who  thought  it  not 
robbery  to  be  equal  with  God,  yet  took  upon 
him  the  form  of  a  servant,  and  humbled  himself 
even  to  the  death  of  the  cross,"  which  taught 
them  to    comprehend  the  length,  and  breadth, 
and  depth,  and  height  of  that  love  which  passeth 
knowledge,"  and     constrained  them  to  live,  not 


ON  THE  ATONEMENT. 


213 


to  themselves,  but  to  him  who  died  for  them," 
The  same  view  has  animated  and  sustained  the 
noble  army  of  martyrs,  in  all  the  conflicts  and 
trials  through  which  they  fought  there  way  to 
heaven.  It  has  been  matter  of  admiration  and 
praise  to  the  redeemed  in  all  ages ;  and  will  be 
the  theme  of  their  song,  when  they  shall  appear 
before  God  in  Zion,  with  everlasting  joy  upon 
their  heads.  Thus  has  he  commended  his  mercy 
to  us  by  the  medium  of  its  communication.  It 
is  a  measure  whereby  we  may  take  the  dimen- 
sions of  that  mercy,  which  without  it  would  have 
been  immeasurable  and  inconceivable. 

II.  God  having  provided  a  particular  way  in 
which  he  will  manifest  his  grace,  that  way  derives 
its  efficacy  from  his  appointment.— We  are  not 
merely  to  consider  the  virtue  of  the  ordinance  in 
itself  to  procure  our  pardon,  but  its  efficacy  as 
the  mode  which  he  has  ordained  for  that  purpose. 
There  was  little,  or  rather  no  virtue,  in  the  blood 
upon  the  door-post,  to  save  the  first-born  of  the 
Israelites  ;  in  the  sound  of  the  rams'  horns,  to 
throw  down  the  walls  of  Jericho ;  in  the  cruse  of 
salt,  to  cure  the  bitter  water ;  in  the  blood  of 
victims,  to  take  away  sin ;  in  the  stream  of 
Jordan,  to  cure  the  leprosy  of  Naaman ;  in  the 
bunch  of  figs,  to  heal  the  sickness  of  Hezekiah. 
All  these  things  were,  in  themselves,  without 
efficacy ;  but  God  had  appointed  them  as  means 
by  which  to  convey  his  mercy  and  goodness  to 
men :  therefore  they  were  efficacious ;  and  the 
less  they  had  in  themselves  of  power,  the  more 
clearly  did  they  prove  the  ag;ency  of  the  Almighty. 


214 


ON  THE  ATONEMENT. 


Hence  also  the  death  of  Christ  derives  its  sove- 
reign virtue.  It  is  the  power  of  God  to  salva- 
tion to  them  that  believe."  It  was  the  appointed 
ordinance  by  which  he  had  determined  to  grant 
remission  of  sin,  through  the  riches  of  his  own 
grace.  Sacrifice  and  offering"  (says  David, 
in  the  person  of  our  Lord)  *'thou  wouldest  not" — 
these,  though  for  a  time  required,  as  types  of  the 
true  Propitiation,  were  not  the  means  which  thou 
hadst  ordained  to  take  away  sin — but  a  body 
hast  thou  prepared  me" — I  must  be  made  flesh, 
to  die  for  sinners.  We  are  not  therefore  to  con- 
ceive, that  the  death  of  Christ  effects  our  salva- 
tion merely  by  the  motives  which  it  supplies,  or 
the  affections  which  it  produces.  It  does  indeed 
excite  the  warmest  affections,  and  supply  us  with 
the  most  cogent  motives  to  repentance,  and  to  all 
holy  obedience ;  but  its  saving  efficacy  consists 
in  God's  having  appointed  it  to  be  the  means  of 
the  remission  of  our  sins.  Even  as  Moses  lifted 
up  the  serpent  in  the  wilderness,  so  was  the  Son 
of  man  lifted  up,  that  whosoever  believeth  in 
him  should  not  perish,  but  have  everlasting  life." 
The  wounded  Israelites  looked  up  to  the  brazen 
serpent,  and  in  the  act  of  beholding  were  cured. 
The  penitent  sinner  looks  by  faith  to  Christ  lifted 
up  upon  the  cross  ;  and  in  the  same  way,  by  the 
grace  of  God  bestowed  upon  him  in  believing,  his 
sin  is  pardoned,  and  his  soul  saved. 

III.  We  may  remark,  that  the  method  in  which 
God  dispenses  his  mercy  does  not  supersede  the 
necessity  of  repentance. 
The  Israelites  had  repented  ere  God  commanded 


ON  THE  ATONEMENT. 


215 


the  brazen  serpent  to  be  made.  The  Jews  who 
brought  the  sacrifices  to  the  temple,  were  sup- 
posed to  repent  of  their  sin,  and  to  humble 
themselves  for  it ;  and  without  this  their  sacri- 
fices would  not  have  been  accepted.  John  the 
Baptist  preached  repentance  as  preparative  to  the 
establishment  of  the  kingdom  of  God  on  the  earth. 
Jesus  Christ  himself  sent  his  seventy  disciples 
with  the  same  commission.  The  Apostles  went 
through  the  land  of  Judea,  preaching  at  the  same 
time  repentance  toward  God,  and  faith  toward 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ."  Those  who  are  invited 
to  Christ,  are  supposed  to  be  weary  and  heavy 
laden."  And  men  will  no  more  apply  to  him  by 
faith  for  salvation,  without  a  humbling  sense  of 
their  sins,  than  they  would  go  to  a  physician  for 
help,  without  any  consciousness  of  disease  or 
danger. 

IV.  On  the  other  hand,  we  must  also  observe, 
that  our  repentance  does  not  supersede  the  ne- 
cessity of  faith.  Still  the  great  effect  takes  place 
through  our  faith  in  Christ.  God  has  indeed 
ordained  that  the  death  of  Christ  should  be  the 
propitiation  for  sin,  that  he  may  be  just  and  yet 
the  Justifier  of  him  which  believeth  in  Jeus."  Yet 
he  requires  of  man  the  exercise  of  faith,  whereby 
we  receive  the  atonement  and  take  the  benefit  of 
it  for  ourselves.  As  it  would  not  have  been  suffi- 
cient for  the  cure  of  the  wounded  Israelite,  that 
the  serpent  was  lifted  up,  or  that  he  repented  of 
his  rebellion,  had  he  remained  in  his  tent  and 
refused  to  look  upon  the  remedy;  even  so,  "who- 
soever believeth  in  Christ,  is  not  condemned:  but 


216 


ON  THE  ATONEMENT. 


he  that  believeth  not,  is  condemned  already,  be- 
cause he  hath  not  believed  in  the  name  of  the 
only  begotten  Son  of  God." 

V.  I  presume  not  even  to  attempt  any  expla- 
nation of  the  reasons  which  induced  the  Almighty 
to  choose  this  particular  mode  for  the  dispensa- 
tion of  his  mercy  to  sinners.  It  becomes  us  rather 
humbly  to  acknowledge  our  ignorance,  and  adore 
the  depth  both  of  the  wisdom  and  goodness  of 
God.  He  has  ordained  it,  and  let  us  be  satisfied 
and  thankful.  Let  us  not  say,  with  Naaman,  Are 
notAbanaand  Pharpar,  rivers  of  Damascus,  better 

than  all  the  waters  of  Israel  ?  I  thought,  surely 

he  would  have  come  out  to  me,  and  waved  his 
hand  over  me."  Rather  let  us  thus  reverently 
embrace  the  mercy  of  God,  without  desiring  to 
search  into  his  hidden  counsels.  We  are  permitted, 
however,  to  discover  some  reasons  which  prove 
the  propriety  of  such  a  mode  of  dispensing  mercy. 
It  manifests  exceedingly  the  grace  of  God,  by 
shewing  that  our  salvation  is  to  be  ascribed  to 
that  grace  alone.  Boasting  is  thus  entirely  ex- 
cluded. And  who  can  say,  whether  it  may  not  be 
suited  to  the  Divine  purity  and  justice  to  confer 
salvation  on  man,  only  by  subjecting  him  to  the 
deepest  humiliation,  by  constraining  him  to  feel 
his  own  entire  inability  to  save  himself,  and  thus 
compelling  him  to  ascribe  his  salvation  solely  to 
the  Divine  mercy  ?  He  who  has  in  this  manner 
obtained  the  remission  of  his  sins  through  the 
atonement  of  Jesus  Christ,  has  no  better  ground 
to  boast  of  his  merit,  than  the  wounded  Israelite 
had  to  extol  his  own  skill  when  he  was  healed 


ON  THE  ATONEMENT. 


217 


merely  from  looking  to  the  brazen  serpent.  Let 
me  add  also,  that  as  there  might  have  been  some 
great  impropriety  in  the  unconditional  forgive- 
ness of  sinners,  so  had  the  conditions  of  salvation 
been  our  own  obedience,  or  the  sincerity  of  our 
repentance,  no  one  would  have  been  saved.  But 
this  dispensation  holds  out  great  encouragement 
to  such  weak  and  unworthy  sinners  as  we  are. 
We  may  say,  as  the  servants  of  Naaman,  *'If 
the  prophet  had  bid  thee  do  some  great  thing, 
wouldst  thou  not  have  done  it?  How  much  rather, 
then,  when  he  saith  to  thee,  Wash,  and  be  clean?" 

My  fellow-sinners,  God  has  provided  a  Saviour, 
even  Jesus  Christ,  his  only  begotten  Son.  He  has 
exalted  him  in  the  world,  **  that  whosoever  be - 
lieveth  in  him  should  not  perish,  but  have  eternal 
life."  Without  shedding  of  blood  there  was  no 
remission  of  sin  under  the  Law  ;  and  under  the 
Gospel  it  is  only  granted  through  the  blood  of 
Christ  shed  upon  the  cross.  Are  you,  therefore, 
looking  to  this  great  Object  of  the  Gospel  for 
salvation,  and  to  this  only  ?  Are  you  truly  sorry 
for  your  sin,  and  humbled  before  God  on  account 
of  your  unworthiness  ?  Without  this,  the  remedy 
which  God  has  provided  is  useless  :  it  cannot  be 
received — you  will  not,  you  cannot  come  to 
Christ.  But  if  you  are  really  humbled  for  sin, 
are  you  then  putting  your  trust,  not  in  your  own 
resolutions,  not  in  your  future  obedience,  not  even 
in  the  motives  and  affections  which  you  derive 
from  the  Gospel,  but  in  that  great  Sacrifice  offered 
upon  the  cross  ?  Are  you  directing  your  view  to 
it ;  relying  upon  it ;  joyfully  believing  the  record 


218 


ON  THE  ATONEMENT. 


that  God  has  given ;  thankfully  receiving  it  as  his 
inestimable  gift,  and  daily  walking  with  God, 
through  the  hope  with  which  the  death  of  Christ 
inspires  us?  Objections,  indeed,  you  may  expect 
to  rise  in  your  minds  against  this  way  of  salva- 
tion. It  is  not  at  once  that  we  discover  our  own 
weakness,  and  the  unworthiness  even  of  our  best 
deeds.  It  is  not  at  once  that  the  glory  of  Christ, 
given  for  sinners,  appears  the  principal  object  in 
our  view.  Yet  let  me  exhort  you  to  seek  after  a 
clearer  discovery  of  your  own  state,  and  of  the 
efficacy  of  that  sacrifice  for  sin  which  your  Sa- 
viour has  offered.  Thus  may  you  be  led  to  a 
firmer  faith  in  Christ.  It  is  his  death  which  we 
preach  to  you,  as  the  hope,  the  only  hope  for 
sinners.  It  is  his  death  which  we  are  now  about 
to  commemorate,  as  the  object  of  a  Christian  s 
hope,  in  the  symbols  of  it  set  before  us.  Look 
therefore  to  that,  with  the  expectation  of  virtue 
to  be  derived  from  it  able  to  heal  your  soul,  and 
to  restore  to  it  the  favour  and  blessing  of  God 
and  eternal  life.  Thus  may  Christ  dwell  in  your 
hearts  by  faith,  and  your  hope  be  founded  upon 
the  Rock  of  ages  ! 


219 


SERMON  XV. 

THE  NATURE  OF  HUMAN  CORRUPTION. 

ROM.  viii.  7. 

The  carnal  mind  is  enmity  against  God  ;  for  it  is  not 
subject  to  the  law  of  God,  neither  indeed  can  be. 

It  is  related  of  the  old  men  amongst  the  Jews, 
who  had  been  witnesses  to  the  grandeur  and  ex- 
cellence of  the  temple  built  by  Solomon,  that 
when,  on  their  return  from  Babylon,  they  saw  the 
inferiority  of  it  as  rebuilt  by  Nehemiah  and  Ezra, 
they  lifted  up  their  voices  and  wept.  How  much 
more  cause  have  we  for  sorrow,  if  we  consider 
the  original  state  of  man,  the  living  temple  of  the 
Lord — created  in  righteousness  and  true  holiness, 
worthy  of  the  Divine  Architect,  and  fit  for  an 
habitation  of  God — and  compare  this  with  that 
state  of  ruin  into  which  it  has  now  fallen ;  with 
the  marks  of  sin,  corruption,  misery,  and  death, 
which  are  every  where  stamped  upon  it ! 

Sin  came  into  the  world  by  the  transgression 
of  Adam:  by  the  disobedience  of  one,  many 
were  made  sinners."  The  children  of  Adam  were 
born  in  the  same  corrupt  state  into  which  he  had 
fallen  :  all  of  them  were  heirs  of  the  same  miseries, 
and  exposed  to  the  same  dreadful  consequences 
of  sin  which  had  followed  his  transgression.  Such, 


220    THE  NATURE  OF  HUMAN  CORRUPTION. 

then,  is  the  state  of  every  man  now  born  into  the 
world.  He  possesses  a  nature  which,  according 
to  the  words  of  the  Article  of  our  Church,  is 
very  far  gone  from  original  righteousness  — a 
nature  which  is  even  enmity  against  God,  and 
which,  till  renewed  by  Divine  influence,  is  not, 
and  cannot  be,  subject  to  the  law  of  God.  We 
might  be  induced,  by  this  representation  of  our 
state,  to  pray  for  that  operation  of  the  Holy  Spirit 
which  alone  can  cleanse  us  from  the  defilement 
of  our  sin. 

In  considering  the  subject  of  my  text,  three 
points  present  themselves  to  our  inquiry. 

I.  What  is  meant  by  the  term  carnal  mind. 

II.  In  what  sense  we  are  to  understand  the 
carnal  mind  to  be  at  enmity  with  God. 

III.  What  proofs  of  this  we  experience  in  our- 
selves, or  see  in  others. 

I.  What  are  we  to  understand  by  the  term 
carnal  ox  fleshly  mind? 

We  may  observe,  that  the  terms  flesh  and  spirit 
are  generally  in  Scripture  opposed  to  each  other; 
and  the  spirit,  when  that  opposition  is  expressed, 
evidently  means,  not  merely  the  soul  of  man,  as 
distinguished  from  the  body,  but  the  spiritual 
frame  of  mind  which  is  wrought  in  the  believer 
through  the  influence  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  And 
therefore  thejlesh,  which  is  opposed  to  it,  must 
signify  the  state  of  man  by  nature  ;  as  he  is  when 
left  to  himself,  without  such  Divine  power  or 
agency  exerted  upon  him. 

In  this  sense  the  whole  context  leads  us  to 
interpret  the  passage.       They  that  are  after  the 


THE  NATURE  OF  HUMAN  CORRUPTION.  221 


flesh,"  says  the  Apostle,  do  mind  the  things  of 
the  flesh ;  but  they  that  are  after  the  Spirit,  the 
things  of  the  Spirit : "  i,  e.  Those  who  are  merely 
in  a  natural  state,  regard  only  the  things  belonging 
to  the  body,  and  to  this  life  ;  but  they  that  are 
spiritual,  or  renewed  in  their  minds,  do  mind 
the  things  of  the  Spirit.  But  he  adds,  Ye  are 
not  in  the  flesh,  but  in  the  Spirit,  if  so  be  that  the 
Spirit  of  God  dwell  in  you.  Now,  if  any  man 
have  not  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  he  is  none  of  his." 
In  these  passages,  taken  together,  we  have,  first, 
the  origin  of  our  spiritual  life — the  Spirit  of  God 
dwelling  in  us  ;  then  the  effect  of  it — minding  the 
things  of  the  Spirit ;  and  the  issue  of  it — life  and 
peace.  Let  this  be  compared  with  the  issue,  the 
effect,  and  the  origin  of  the  condition  which  is 
termed  carnal;  and  we  shall  find  that  the  ex- 
pression is  evidently  intended  to  describe  the 
state  in  which  men  are  by  nature,  without  the 
renewal  of  the  Holy  Spirit ;  in  which  they  live 
in  sin;  and  in  which  if  they  die,  they  inherit 
eternal  death. 

The  same  opposition  of  the  flesh  to  the  Spirit 
is  found  in  our  Lord's  discourse  to  Nicodemus, 
and  in  the  same  sense:  "Verily,  verily,  I  say 
unto  thee.  Except  a  man  be  born  of  water  and 
of  the  Spirit,  he  cannot  enter  the  kingdom  of 
God."  The  agency  of  the  Spirit  of  God  upon 
the  soul,  in  order  to  qualify  it  for  the  kingdom 
of  God,  is  here  expressly  asserted.  And  the  state 
of  a  person  living  under  this  Divine  influence  is 
termed  "spirit:"  "That  which  is  born  of  the 
Spirit,  is  spirit."  The  flesh,  therefore,  which  is 
put  in  opposition  to  this,  must  signify  the  state 


222     THE  NATURE  OF  HUMAX  COREUPTIOy. 


of  man  without  the  agency  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 
And  this  is  not  peculiar  to  a  fisw,  who  are  moie 
than  ordinarily  sinlbl :  it  is  not  the  etkct  of  con- 
firmed habits,  or  a  Umg  course  €3i  sin ;  hut  is  in- 
herent in  the  very  constitntioni  trf*  man:  Ah*  "as 
that  which  is  bom  of  the  Spirit  is  sfurit,  so  that 
which  is  bom  of  the  flesh  is  flesh." 

I  wiU  add  a  nolher  passage,  in  which  the  same 
terms  are  opposed  to  each  other,  and  ewidentiy 
in  the  same  souse.    In  Gabtians  t.  16,  it  is 
said,     Walk  in  the  Spirit,  and  ye  shall  not  fulfil 
the  lusts  of  the  fl^h.*^   Here  the  flesh  is  r^re- 
salted  as  a  corrupt  principle  within  us,  naturally 
lusting  after  that  which  is  eviL    But  this  is  more 
fully  expressed  in  the  foUowii^  wGnls :  "  Fot 
the  flesh  lust^  against  the  Spirit,  and  the  Spirit 
against  the  flesh ;  and  th^e  are  contrary  the  one 
to  the  other/'    What  could  have  heen  said  more 
plainly  to  shew,  that  when  the  Apostle  qieaks  of 
the  £esh,  as  opposed  to  the  Spirit,  he  means 
something  evU  in  the  nature  of  man,  idudi  resistB 
and  counteracts  idiat  is  excdlent  and  holy — the 
laws  of  God,  fiw  instance,  and  die  motkms  of  his 
good  Spirit  in  the  heart?   And,  would  we  know 
more  particularly  what  are  these  lusts  of  thefledi, 
and  what  the  efects  a£  the  Spirit's  influence- 
that  is,  what  are  the  woiics  of  a  sinfid,  and  what 
those  of  a  renewed,  nature — the  Apostle  goes  on 
to  inform  us:     The  woifcs  of  the  flesh  are  mani- 
fsst,  which  are  th^e.  Adultery,  fornicalinn,  un- 
cleanness,  lasciTionsness,  idkdalry,  witdicraft, 
hatred,  variance,  emulaticms,  wrath,  strife,  sedi- 
tions, heresies,  enwyings.    But  the  fruit  of  the 
Spirit  is  lore,  ioy,  peace,  longHsuflfering,  gentle- 


THE  NATURE  OF  HUMAN  CORRUPTION.  223 

ness,  goodness,  faith.  And  they  that  are  Christ's 
have  crucified  the  flesh,  with  the  affections  and 
lusts." 

From  all  these  passages,  taken  collectively,  we 
may  have  a  full  view  of  what  the  Scriptures  in- 
tend by  the  flesh,  and  the  spirit  or  spiritual  mind. 
We  learn  from  them,  that  mankind  are  born  in  a 
depraved,  sinful,  ruined  state  ;  that  the  mind  of 
man  in  that  state  is  fixed  only  upon  earthly 
things ;  that  the  works  natural  to  him  are 
"  wicked  works,"  such  as  arise  from  lust,  vanity, 
pride,  anger,  and  selfishness  ;  that  in  this  state 
he  is  utterly  unfit  for  the  kingdom  of  God,  and 
incapable  of  enjoying  the  spiritual  happiness  of 
that  kingdom  ;  that  in  him,  that  is,  in  his  flesh, 
dwelleth  no  good  thing  ;  "  but  that  God  has  been 
pleased  to  send  his  Holy  Spirit  into  the  world,  to 
guide,  bless,  and  sanctify  those  that  truly  em- 
brace the  Gospel  of  his  Son ;  that  from  him  they 
receive  a  spiritual  principle,  a  holy  and  divine 
nature  ;  that  they  mind  the  things  of  the  Spirit, 
put  off"  the  old  man  with  his  corrupt  deeds,  and 
put  on  the  new  man,  which  after  God  is  created 
in  righteousness  and  true  holiness  ;  "  that  thus 
they  become  new  creatures  in  Christ  Jesus  ; 

old  things  pass  away ;  behold,  all  things  become 
new;"  that  they  crucify  the  flesh,  with  the 
afl*ections  and  lusts,"  and  walk  after  the  Spirit," 
bringing  forth  the  fruits  of  the  Spirit."  We 
learn,  in  short,  that  the  nature  of  man,  till  renewed 
by  the  influence  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  is  corrupt ; 
and  that  it  is  enmity  against  God,  for  it  is  not 
subject  to  the  law  of  God,  neither  indeed  can  be." 


224     THE  NATURE  OF  HUMAN  CORRUPTION. 

II.  In  what  sense,  therefore,  are  we  to  under- 
stand this  enmity  to  God  ? 

1 .  We  are  not  to  suppose  that  the  unregene- 
rate  man  is  at  enmity  with  God  accordifig  to  the 
character  which  he  usually  forms  of  him.  He  com- 
monly tliinks  of  God  only  as  a  great,  wise,  and 
good  Being ;  and  he  feels  no  sentiment  of  opposi- 
tion to  the  attributes  of  wisdom,  greatness,  or 
goodness.  Nay,  while  he  considers  these  as 
exerted  in  his  behalf,  and  in  that  of  his  fellow- 
creatures,  he  may  even  feel  a  certain  degree  of 
complacency  and  delight  in  them.  He  may  re- 
joice that  there  is  a  good  and  Almighty  Being 
at  the  head  of  the  universe,  who  can  and  will 
controul  the  evil  which  might  else  break  forth 
without  measure,  to  disturb  the  harmony  and 
peace  of  the  world.  He  may  look  with  pleasure 
upon  the  glorious  works  he  has  made;  at  the 
provision  he  has  so  richly  furnished  to  supply 
the  wants  of  man  and  beast ;  and  at  the  laws  and 
the  providence  by  which  so  vast  and  various  a 
creation  is  administered  and  preserved,  through 
all  its  orders  of  being,  equally  in  the  great  and 
the  minute,  according  to  the  will  and  purpose  of 
its  Creator.  These,  he  will  say,  are  the  works 
of  the  great  Parent  of  Good,  and  manifest  his 
wisdom ;  all  things  proclaim  his  praise,  and  men 
ought,  above  the  rest  of  his  creation,  to  render 
thanks  and  adoration  to  him. — Such,  I  say,  may 
be  the  views  and  feelings  even  of  an  unregenerate 
man.  And  when  a  person  in  this  state  is  told, 
that  his  mind  is  naturally  at  enmity  with  God, 
he  will  perhaps  revolt  against  the  charge,  appeal 
confidently  to  his  own  heart  for  its  refutation. 


THE  NTATURE  OF  HUMAN  CORRUPTION.  225 

and  be  unable,  even  after  cool  and  candid  reflec- 
tion, to  admit  it  in  any  sense  as  true. 

In  explaining  the  meaning  of  the  Apostle's 
words,  therefore,  we  must  be  very  careful  not  to 
confound  the  real  character  of  God  with  that 
which  we  may  have  formed  of  him  for  ourselves. 
In  the  view  which  sinners  usually  take  of  the 
attributes  of  God ;  his  supreme  authority  as  the 
Governor  of  the  world,  his  infinite  purity  and  ho- 
liness as  hating,  and  his  justice  as  avenging,  sin, 
are  kept  out  of  sight.  A  Being  is  framed  in  their 
imagination,  very  much  resembling  themselves ; 
— a  Being  who  will  be  merciful  and  indulgent  to 
sinners  ;  will  allow  them  to  live  in  a  great  measure 
as  they  please,  and  punish  only  the  sins  which 
would  be  very  injurious  to  society  ;  yet  easily 
forgiving  even  these ;  and  ready  to  bestow  eternal 
happiness  upon  all  his  creatures,  even  upon  such 
as  may  have  been  total  strangers  to  the  life  of 
purity  and  holiness  which  He  requires. 

2.  Further  :  enmity  against  the  Almighty  is  not 
to  be  considered  as  a  personal  enmity,  but  rather 
as  a  dislike  of  the  government  which  he  exercises, 
and  of  the  laws  which  he  ordains;  those  laws 
particularly  which  concern  ourselves,  which  re- 
strain us  from  any  course  of  conduct  we  are  de- 
sirous to  pursue,  or  require  from  us  what  we  feel 
no  disposition  to  perform ; — these  are  the  objects 
of  our  dislike :  and  enmity  against  them  may  be 
properly  said  to  be  enmity  against  God;  for  it 
resists  his  authority,  power,  and  dominion  in  the 
world.  Hence  in  my  text,  the  enmity  of  the  car- 
nal mind  is  thus  explained  ;  for  it  is  not  subject 
to  the  laxv  of  God.''    All,  therefore,  who  dislike 

VOL.  II.  Q 


226     TUL  XATLMtL  OF  HUMAN'  CORRUPTION. 

the  purity  of  God's  laws,  may  be  said  to  dislike 
him.  They  would  shew  even  a  personal  dislike 
of  him,  did  they  clearly  see  his  hand  restraining, 
correcting,  punishing  what  is  evil ;  did  they  be- 
hold the  frown  with  which  he  observes  them  when 
following  the  inclinations  of  their  carnal  mind, 
and  the  arm  of  his  vengeance  lifted  up  against 
perverse  and  incorrigible  sinners. 

3.  Again:  when  we  say  that  the  unregenerate 
mind  is  enmity  against  God,  or,  in  other  words, 
"  corrupt,"  we  are  not  to  understand  that  it  is 
totally  destitute  of  every  thing  that  is  good  ;  that 
it  has  not  qualities  which  are  in  a  certain  degree 
commendable  ;  that  it  is  equally  addicted  to  every 
species  of  vice  ;  or  that  there  is  no  difference  in 
guilt  between  the  young,  who  are  but  beginning 
to  act  according  to  their  nature,  and  those  whose 
natural  corruption  is  confirmed  and  matured  by 
a  long  habit  and  indulgence  of  sin.  ^sothing  is 
implied,  in  the  doctrine,  concerning  an  equality 
of  guilt  or  corruption  among  men.  It  is  sufficient 
to  say,  that  human  nature  is  corrupt  in  us  all  ; 
that  there  is  in  all  a  proneness  to  sin — a  natural 
tendency  to  approve  and  do  things  which  it  has 
pleased  God  to  condemn  and  forbid,  and  a  natural 
dislike  of  many  duties  which  he  has  thought  fit 
to  enjoin.  Let  man  be  left  entirely  to  the  work- 
ings of  his  own  mind  ;  let  him  be  restrained  by  no 
fear  of  punishment,  and  induced  by  no  hope  of 
reward;  and  he  would  invariably  follow,  not  a 
course  of  holy  obedience  to  his  Maker,  as  an  angel 
would  do  from  inclination,  but  a  course  of  selfish 
and  sinful  indulgence.  God  would  not  be  in  all 
his  thoughts,  nor  would  the  authority  of  God  be 


THE  NATURE  OF  HUMAN  CORRUPTION.  227 

the  rule  of  his  conduct.  He  would  live,  not  to 
Him  who  made  him,  but  wholly  to  himself — a  life 
after  the  flesh,  and  after  the  course  of  this  present 
world; — would  be  sensual  in  his  gratifications  or 
ungovernable  in  his  tempers,  proud  in  his  imagi- 
nations or  ambitious  in  his  pursuits,  greedy  of  gain, 
or  sunk  in  pleasure.  In  a  word,  he  would  be  found 
doing  some  or  other  of  the  works  of  the  flesh," 
and  be  far  from  bringing  forth  the  fruits  of  the 
Spirit." 

III.  Then,  how  far  is  this  corruption  of  our 
nature  illustrated  by  what  we  experience  in  our- 
selves, or  see  in  others  ? 

And  here  let  us  examine  our  own  hearts,  and 
say,  as  in  the  sight  of  God,  what  dispositions  are 
natural  to  them  ;  what  tempers  and  desires  are  the 
most  congenial  to  our  frame,  and  strike  deepest 
root  in  our  souls,  as  in  a  soil  congenial  to  them. 
Shall  we,  upon  the  careful  review  of  our  lives, 
perceive  that  the  love  of  God  has  been  our  first 
and  ruling  principle  ?  that  our  chief  desire  has  been 
to  glorify  his  Name,  and  to  fulfil  his  commands  ? 
that,  as  soon  as  we  knew  him,  we  felt  a  desire  to 
obey  and  glorify  him  as  God ;  a  strong,  uniform, 
and  abiding  propensity  to  search  after  his  will; 
a  stedfast  disposition  to  perform  it  readily, 
heartily,  and  with  joy  ?  that  we  found  no  impedi- 
ment in  the  service  of  God,  no  difficulty  to  over- 
come, no  reluctance,  no  drawing  of  the  inclination 
an  opposite  way;  but  that  it  was  a  smooth,  easy, 
and  delightful  work,  as  when  we  follow  the  na- 
tural propensity  of  our  own  minds  ?  that  it  would 
have  been  difficult  for  us  to  have  neglected  his 

Q2 


228      THE  NATURE  OF  HUMAN  CORRUPTION. 

commands,  and  painful  to  have  acted  contrary  to 
them  ?  And  do  we  find  the  same  temper  and  dis- 
position in  others  also,  as  well  as  in  ourselves  ? 
Are  the  sins  committed  in  the  world,  committed 
through  ignorance  merely?  Does  the  sinner 
repent  of  them,  and  forsake  them,  as  soon  as  he 
hears  they  are  contrary  to  the  Divine  will  ?  Do 
our  children  discover  a  bias,  even  from  their  early 
infancy,  to  what  is  right  and  excellent  ?  Have  we 
only  to  instruct  them  in  the  path  of  duty  in  order 
that  they  may  walk  in  it  ?  Do  we  see  in  them, 
as  soon  as  their  tempers  begin  to  unfold,  a  natural 
dislike  of  evil  and  love  of  what  is  good — a  spirit 
of  meekness,  of  patience,  of  long-sulfering,  and 
indifference  to  the  pomps  and  vanities  of  the 
world— a  relish  for  high  and  holy  subjects  of  con- 
versation ?  Do  we,  in  consequence  of  this  dispo- 
sition, see  all  men  agreeing  to  bring  forth  the 
fruits  of  righteousness,  and  no  contention  among 
them  but  how  most  to  glorify  God  ?  Is  the  ear 
delighted  to  hear  on  every  side,  from  the  mouth 
of  young  and  old,  rich  and  poor,  the  sounds  of 
praise  and  thanksgiving  ?  Does  the  ravished  eye 
behold,  in  our  streets  and  villages,  the  constant 
intercourse  of  benevolence  and  kind  affection,  each 
man  vying  with  his  neighbour  how  best  to  pro- 
mote the  general  happiness  ?  Are  all  families 
living  in  harmony,  and  cordially  united  in  the 
service  of  God  ?  Is  it  the  first  care  of  each  indi- 
vidual to  promote  His  glory  ?  Is  it  the  greatest 
dread  of  all  to  act  contrary  to  the  will  of  the  Most 
High  ?  Is  the  world,  in  consequence  of  any  in- 
herent disposition  to  virtue,  of  any  natural  tendency 
to  what  is  good,  (and  the  general  tendencies  of 


THE  NATURE  OF  HUMAN  CORRUPTION.  229 

nature  must  always  in  the  end  prevail) — is  the 
world,  I  say,  one  grand  exhibition  of  purity,  kind- 
ness, meekness,  benevolence,  holiness,  patience, 
resignation,  humility,  Divine  zeal,  and  love  ? — 
Alas  !  I  need  not  proceed  in  an  inquiry  which 
begins  already  to  assume  the  air  of  sarcasm.  The 
truth  is  too  plainly  apparent,  that  the  state  of  the 
world  is  the  reverse  of  all  this,  and  discovers, 
beyond  dispute,  that  obliquity  and  corruption  of 
our  common  nature  which  make  it  what  it  is. 

Let  us,  however,  press  the  matter  home  upon 
our  own  consciences.  Do  not  we  find  it  a  labour 
to  do  what  is  right  ?  Does  not  even  self-interest, 
usually  the  most  powerful  motive,  lose  its  efficacy 
here  ?  Is  it  not,  in  fact,  true,  that  even  the  union 
of  temporal  and  eternal  blessings,  the  clear  per- 
ception of  real  present  advantage,  with  the  hope 
of  a  joyful  immortality,  are  continually  found  to 
be  motives  too  weak  to  engage  us  with  vigour  and 
steadiness  in  the  service  of  God  ?  And  when  our 
fears  of  misery,  or  our  desires  of  happiness,  induce 
us  to  attempt  this  service,  how  numerous,  how 
powerful,  how  much  exaggerated  by  the  strong 
apprehensions  of  an  unwilling  mind,  are  the  diffi- 
culties which  arise  to  deter  us !  How  quickly  are 
we  discouraged,  and  with  how  little  resistance  do 
we  yield !  Where  is  now  the  unbending  firmness 
of  purpose,  the  stout  and  daring  resolution,  which 
we  shew  when  crossed  in  a  favourite  scheme  of 
interest  or  ambition,  or  in  the  pursuit  of  any 
object  on  which  we  really  set  our  hearts  ?  And 
how  soon,  at  best,  do  spiritual  motives  lose  their 
force,  in  minds  habitually  taken  up  with  carnal 
and  earthly  objects  !    How  dull  and  lifeless  are 


230     THE  NATURE  OF  HUMAN  CORRUPTION. 

those  affections,  when  directed  to  the  things  above, 
which  we  find  so  apt,  ardent,  and  uncontroulable, 
when  let  loose  upon  the  world  and  the  things  of 
the  world  !  How  short  and  pleasant  do  the 
longest  periods  seem,  if  spent  in  the  folly  and 
vanity  congenial  to  our  nature — the  whole  days 
and  nights,  for  instance,  of  mirth,  and  riot,  and 
dissipation — and  how  tedious  is  one  solitary  hour, 
if  set  apart  for  the  service  of  God,  and  the  sacred 
exercises  of  devotion ! 

The  meaning  of  such  words  as  enjoyment,  plea- 
sure, happiness,  is  always  settled  by  the  common 
taste  of  mankind  ;  and  the  general  use  and  accep- 
tation of  them  will  determine  how  that  taste  is  to 
be  gratified.  Are  sacred  duties,  then,  usually 
mentioned  as  acts  of  pleasure  and  enjoyment? 
Or  does  the  acquisition  of  holiness  and  virtue 
enter  at  all  into  the  common  notion  of  felicity  ? 
Is  he  deemed  the  happy  man,  who  finds  his  hap- 
piness in  the  favour  of  God,  in  the  exercise  of 
graces  and  virtues  which  God  approves,  in  doing 
his  will  and  promoting  his  glory  ?  Or  rather,  is  it 
not  he  who  can  command  the  means  and  re- 
sources of  worldly  gratification  ;  who  can  fulfil 
at  pleasure  the  desires  of  the  flesh  and  the  mind, 
and  say  to  his  soul,  Thou  hast  much  goods  laid 
up  for  many  years :  take  thine  ease,  eat,  drink, 
and  be  merry  ? "  Do  we  not  find  that  we  our- 
selves are  perpetually  making  this  estimate  of 
things,  and  setting  up  a  false  standard  of  right 
and  wrong  ?  Are  not  our  affections,  and  desires, 
and  prejudices,  in  hostility  to  our  reason,  our 
conscience,  our  better  judgment,  and  the  word  of 
God  ;  the  law  of  our  members  warring  with  the 


THE  NATURE  OF  HUMAN  CORRUPTION.  231 

law  of  our  mind  ?  Is  not  a  holy  life  necessarily 
a  life  of  self-denial — a  life  requiring  pains  and 
watchfulness,  and  these  constant,  and  without  in- 
termission ?  Do  we  not  feel,  that,  in  order  to  live 
in  the  service  of  God,  we  must  crucify  the  old 
man  with  his  lusts,  and  become  new  creatures  in 
Christ  Jesus  ?  Is  there  not  constant  need  to 
reprove  ourselves ;  to  press  the  strongest  motives 
and  most  alarming  perils  upon  our  minds ;  to 
place  a  guard  upon  all  our  passions  and  affections, 
and  to  pray  earnestly  for  Divine  help?  And, 
after  all,  are  we  not  too  often  foiled  in  our  efforts  ? 
Do  we  not,  through  the  inveteracy  of  our  cor- 
ruptions, find  our  labours  almost  fruitless,  and 
ourselves  compelled  to  exclaim,  with  the  Apostle, 
Oh !  wretched  man  that  I  am,  who  shall  deliver 
me  from  the  body  of  this  death  ! "  Behold,  then, 
the  carnal  mind,  which  is  enmity  against  God  ! 
They  who  have  truly  endeavoured  to  serve  him, 
feel  and  lament  this ;  for  it  is  by  the  resistance 
of  evil,  that  the  reality  and  strength  of  the  corrupt 
principle  within  is  most  clearly  discovered.  They 
who  are  yielding  to  every  depraved  propensity 
of  their  nature,  are  the  persons  who  are  always 
most  disposed  to  deny  its  corruption ;  for  they 
are  really  ignorant  of  the  power  of  the  enemy, 
whom  they  never  attempt  to  resist. 

Such,  then,  being  the  state  of  man,  let  us  en- 
deavour to  reap  improvement  from  the  represen- 
tation made  of  it  in  my  text. 

1.  Let  us  learn  humiliation. — To  be  at  enmity 
with  God  is  indeed  an  odious  and  deplorable 
state  of  mind,  for  it  is  enmity  with  perfect  Truth, 


232     THE  NATURE  OF  HUMAN  CORRUPTION. 

Justice,  Goodness,  Purity  :  and  to  possess  this 
enmity  not  occasionally  or  incidentally,  but  uni- 
formly, by  a  propensity  of  nature,  argues  a 
degree  of  corruption  which  should  excite  the 
deepest  self-abhorrence.    We  may  be  inclined, 
perhaps,  to  look  with  partiality  upon  ourselves  : 
and,  turning  away  our  eyes  from  the  proofs  of 
depravity,  to  delude  ourselves  with  a  notion  of 
our  excellences  and  virtues.       He  who  judgeth 
all  things  is  God  : "  and  what  we  are  before  him, 
we  should  appear  in  our  own  eyes.  His  judgment, 
and  that  of  men,  may  (it  is  evident)  be  greatly 
at  variance  on  this  subject.  His  purity  is  infinite  : 
He  cannot  endure  the  least  stain  of  pollution. 
"  The  heavens  are  unclean  in  his  sight ;  and  he 
chargeth  his  angels  with  folly.''    How,  then, 
must  we  appear  before  him  ? — we  (amongst  the 
lowest,  yet  at  the  same  time  the  most  highly 
favoured  and  distinguished,  of  his  rational  crea- 
tures,; w^ho  have  dared  to  make  light  of  his 
authority,  to  rebel  against  his  commands,  to  do 
repeatedly  what  he  has  forbidden,  to  leave  undone 
every  day  what  he  has  commanded,  to  be  un- 
thankful to  him  for  his  goodness,  and  even  to 
abuse  the  mercies  he  has  bestowed  upon  us  ? 
Surely  the  consideration  of  this  should  constrain 
us,  w^hen  we  approach  our  Creator,  to  prostrate 
ourselves  with  the  lowest  self-abasement  before 
him ;  like  the  poor  Publican,  who  durst  not  so 
much  as  lift  up  his  eyes  to  heaven,  but  smote 
upon  his  breast,  and  cried,    God  be  merciful  to 
me  a  sinner ! "   This  temper  is  suited  to  the 
actual  state  of  man,  and  therefore  it  is  especially 
required  of  him. 


THE  NATURE  OF  HUMAN  CORRUPTION.  233 

2.  Let  us  learn  from  this  subject  the  unspeak- 
able value  of  an  atonement. — When  the  sinner 
feels  the  burden  of  his  sins,  it  is  a  blessed  relief 
to  know  that  they  may  be  pardoned ;  that  God 

can  be  just,  and  yet  the  justifier  of  him  which 
believeth  in  Jesus."  This,  then,  is  the  discovery 
which  the  Gospel  opens  to  us.  Great  as  our 
vileness  may  be,  there  is  a  way  in  which  we  may 
have  access  to  God,  and  in  which  lie  will  receive 
us  graciously — not  indeed  on  our  own  account, 
but  for  the  sake  of  his  beloved  Son,  who  offered 
himself  as  the  propitiation  for  our  sins.  How 
infinite  was  that  love  which  induced  the  Saviour 
to  take  our  nature  upon  him,  and  suffer  in  our 
behalf!  Through  faith  in  him,  the  weary  and 
heavy  laden  sinner  may  not  only  indulge  hope, 
but  look  forward  with  delightful  anticipation  to 
the  joys  of  heaven.  How  gratefully,  then,  should 
he  receive  the  inestimable  gift  of  the  Gospel ! 
With  what  holy  transport  should  he  look  to  Him 
'*  who  was  wounded  for  our  transgressions,  and 
bruised  for  our  iniquities,"  and  adore  the  wisdom 
and  goodness  of  God,  who  has  provided  so  great 
a  salvation  for  mankind  ! 

3.  Let  this  subject  teach  us  the  necessity  of 
Christian  vigilance,  of  self-denial,  and  earnest  sup- 
plication for  the  influence  of  the  Holy  Spirit. — A 
nature  so  corrupt  must  not  be  trifled  with.  With 
such  propensities,  we  should  ever  be  on  omv 
guard  in  a  world  which  so  abounds  with  tempta- 
tion. Such  a  nature  will  require  constant  self- 
denial.  To  give  way  to  it,  is  to  cher^h  sin. 
Mortification,  therefore,  must  not  be  cteclined ; 
although  not  such  a  mortification  as  fome  have 


234     THE  NATURE  OF  HUMAN  CORRUPTION. 

required,  consisting  only  in  outward  penances, 
or  in  a  retreat  from  the  world  into  deserts  or 
convents,  or  in  idle  singularities ;  but  self-denial 
with  respect  to  those  affections  and  passions 
which  lead  to  sin ;  the  suppression  of  all  intem- 
perance, impurity,  covetousness,  pride,  on  their 
first  risings  in  the  mind ;  a  mortification  of  the 
love  of  human  applause  and  of  the  excessive  fear 
of  human  censure ;  the  studious  avoiding  of  all 
temptations :  nay,  caution  and  jealousy  even  in 
the  use  of  lawful  things,  lest  we  should  abuse 
them  to  sinful  purposes.    In  a  word,  it  must  be 
the  main  object  of  every  real  Christian  to  watch 
over,  and  subdue,  all  those  corrupt  propensities 
which  oppose  the  will  and  commandments  of 
God.    But,  above  all,  with  such  a  nature,  and 
amidst  so  many  temptations,  how  necessary  is  it, 
that  we  should  earnestly  implore  the  Giver  of  all 
good,  to  give  us  a  new  heart,  and  to  renew  a 
right  spirit  within  us ;  to  put  his  fear  within  our 
hearts,  and  to  write  his  laws  upon  them. 


235 


SERMON  XVI. 

ON  THE  INABILITY   OF  MAN. 


JOHN  XV.  5. 

Without  me  ye  can  do  nothing. 

That  v^e  can  do  nothing  really  excellent  with- 
out Divine  assistance,  is  a  doctrine  which  is  held 
by  different  persons  for  very  different  purposes. 
While  the  real  Christian  is  led  by  it  to  implore 
with  earnestness  the  Divine  aid,  and  to  depend 
upon  the  grace  of  God  in  Christ,  the  sinner,  who 
is  acting  against  the  conviction  of  his  own  con- 
science, has  recourse  to  the  same  doctrine  to 
justify  his  continuance  in  sin.      I  feel,"  he  says, 
the  power  of  a  corrupt  nature  ;  I  acknowledge 
my  guilt  and  my  wretchedness ;  I  desire  to  be 
in  a  better  state ;  but  I  can  do  nothing  of  my- 
**  self.    If  I  attempt  to  break  my  fetters,  I  find 
"  it  impossible ;  if  I  strive  to  repent,  I  perceive 
I  cannot;  if  T  endeavour  to  reform  myself,  I 
too  soon  relapse  again  into  sin.   I  resolve  ;  but 
it  is  only  to  break  my  resolutions :  and  all  my 
efforts  serve  only  to  give  me  a  clearer  conviction 
of  my  own  inability.    It  is  my  desire  that  God 
would  give  me  his  grace  ;  but  till  he  is  pleased 
to  do  this,  I  find  that  I  can  no  more  reform 
myself,  than  the  Ethiopian  can  change  his 


236  ON  THE  INABILITY  OF  MAN. 

skin,  or  the  leopard  his  spots."  The  conclu- 
sion to  which  such  reasoning  leads,  is  not  a  de- 
termination to  use  a  greater  degree  of  constancy 
and  earnestness  in  imploring  the  help  of  God ; 
but  rather  an  acquiescence  in  a  state  of  sin,  a 
continuance  in  it  upon  principle,  a  tacit  justifica- 
tion of  ourselves,  and  an  indirect  imputation  of 
our  guilt  to  our  Creator,  either  for  his  having 
formed  us  in  a  state  of  such  weakness,  or  for  his 
neglecting  to  grant  us  the  grace  we  need. 

But  it  is  not  only  the  open  sinner  who  reasons 
in  this  manner.  There  are  some,  who  possess 
better  aims  and  desires,  who  argue  in  a  more 
refined  way  to  nearly  the  same  effect ;  and  who, 
if  they  do  not  abandon  all  exertion,  at  least 
submit  without  resistance  to  the  dominion  of  sin. 
Conscious  of  the  helplessness  of  man,  and  fearing 
to  invade  the  province  of  God,  who  alone  can 
give  salvation,  they  look  upon  their  endeavours 
to  become  partakers  of  the  grace  of  God  with  a 
jealous  eye,  and  are  almost  afraid  even  to  employ 
the  very  means  of  grace  which  God  has  provided, 
and  required  us  to  use,  lest  they  should  derogate 
from  his  grace,  or  appear  to  be  fitting  themselves 
for  it. 

To  obviate  these  most  dangerous  perversions, 
it  may  be  laid  down  as  a  maxim  in  divinity — 
That  it  is  necessary  not  only  to  hold  the  doctrines 
of  the  Bible,  but  also  to  view  those  doctrines  in 
the  same  light  in  which  the  inspired  writers  viewed 
them,  and  to  make  only  the  same  inferences  from 
them  which  they  did.  For  there  is  scarcely  any 
truth  which  may  not  be  held  in  a  partial  manner, 
or  seen  through  a  distorting  medium  ;  so  that  we 


ON  THE  INABILITY  OF  MAN.  237 

then  only  believe  as  the  Apostles  did,  when  we 
receive  their  tenets  in  the  same  full  and  compre- 
hensive manner  in  which  they  delivered  them, 
dwell  upon  them  in  the  same  proportion  to  other 
truths,  and  draw  the  same  conclusions  from 
them.  Let  us,  therefore,  examine  by  this  rule 
what  the  sacred  writers  have  said  concerning  the 
inability  of  man.  Let  us  inquire,  whether  they 
use  it  in  order  to  discourage  our  attempts  and 
prevent  our  exertions  ;  or,  on  the  contrary,  with 
the  very  opposite  intention,  that  of  encouraging 
us  to  persevere  in  a  Christian  course. 

To  begin  with  the  discourse  of  our  Saviour,  of 
which  my  text  makes  a  part.  — As  the  branch 
cannot  bear  fruit  of  itself,  except  it  abide  in  the 
vine,  no  more  can  ye,  except  ye  abide  in  me." 
"  He  that  abideth  in  me,  and  I  in  him,  the  same 
bringeth  forth  much  fruit ;  for  without  me  ye  can 
do  nothing."  Here  the  inability  of  man,  and  the 
necessity  of  the  Divine  agency  of  Christ,  are  set 
forth  in  very  strong  terms :  but  what  is  the  in- 
ference which  our  Saviour  himself  deduces  from 
it  ?  It  is  this  :     Abide  in  me,  and  I "  will  abide 

in  you."  That  is,  Let  the  knowledge  of  your 
own  weakness  shew  you  the  necessity  of  obtaining 
strength  from  me ;  and  therefore  receive  my  words, 
cleave  closely  to  me  by  prayer  and  faith ;  and  I 
will  hear  your  prayer,  and  will  be  with  you  to 
strengthen  you.  Or,  as  it  is  expressed  in  the  7th 
verse,  If  ye  abide  in  me,  and  my  words  abide 
in  you,  ye  shall  ask  what  ye  will,  and  it  shall  be 
done  unto  you." 

In  the  Epistle  to  the  Philippians,  St.  Paul  de- 
clares, that  it  is    God  that  worketh  in  you  both 


238  ON  THE  INABILITY  OF  MAN. 

to  will  and  to  do  of  his  good  pleasure."  Here  it 
is  asserted,  that  God  not  only  strengthens  us  in 
action,  but  that  it  is  he  who  must  give  even  the 
will  to  do  any  thing  acceptable  to  himself. 
What,  then,  is  the  Apostle's  inference  ?  That  we 
are  to  sit  down,  and  wait  with  patience  till  God 
more  fully  inclines  our  wills  and  works  upon  our 
hearts  ?  No  :  Therefore,  "  work  out  your  own 
salvation  with  fear  and  trembling,"  lest,  by  neg- 
lecting it,  you  should  slight  and  grieve  that 
Divine  Spirit  who  carries  on  the  work  of  grace 
in  the  soul. 

In  the  Second  Epistle  to  the  Corinthians  we 
meet  with  this  expression,  Not  that  we  are 
sufficient  of  ourselves  to  think  any  thing  as  of 
ourselves,  but  our  sufficiency  is  of  God."  The 
Apostle  is  speaking  of  the  success  of  his  ministry 
amongst  the  people  whom  he  was  then  addressing 
— "  Ye,"  says  he,  are  manifestly  declared  to  be 
the  epistle  of  Christ,  ministered  by  us;  written,  not 
with  ink,  but  with  the  Spirit  of  the  living  God ; 
not  in  tables  of  stone,  but  in  fleshly  tables  of  the 
heart."  The  Apostles  had  thus  written  upon 
these  tables  of  the  heart  the  characters  of  Christ. 
But  as  it  would  have  been  arrogating  too  much 
to  attribute  this  work  to  their  own  agency,  St. 
Paul  adds,  that  the  power  was  of  God  :"  Not 
that  we  are  sufficient  of  ourselves,"  by  any  power 
of  our  own  persuasion  or  reasoning,  without  the 
help  of  God,  to  convert  you ;  but  our  sufficiency 
is  of  God  "  only.  The  efficacy  of  the  Apostles' 
preaching  was  therefore  ascribed  by  them  exclu- 
sively to  the  Divine  power.  But  what  line  of 
conduct  did  they  pursue  in  consequence  of  their 


ON  THE  INABILITY  OF  MAN.  239 

conviction  of  this  truth  ?  Did  they  relax  in  their 
endeavours,  in  the  hope  that  God  would  act 
without  their  agency  ?  No ;  they  acted  as  if  all 
the  interest  of  Christ  depended  upon  their  exer- 
tions. They  went  about  every  where,  preaching 
the  Word.  They  were  instant,  in  season  and 
out  of  season ; "  being  defamed,  they  entreated  ; 
being  reviled,  they  blessed ;  being  persecuted, 
they  suffered  it ;  they  hungered,  and  thirsted, 
and  were  buffeted  ;  and  they  became  all  things 
to  all  men,  if  by  any  means  they  might  save 
some.  Their  conviction  of  the  power  of  God  did 
not  for  an  instant  suspend  their  endeavours  or 
labours. 

In  these  passages,  therefore,  and  I  think  in 
every  other  part  of  Scripture  in  which  the  inabi- 
lity of  man  is  stated,  the  obvious  intention  is  to 
animate,  and  not  to  discourage  our  exertions ;  to 
teach  us  our  own  weakness,  that  we  may  be  led 
to  implore  the  aid  which  is  freely  offered  to  all 
who  ask  it  in  the  name  of  Christ.  If  the  necessity 
of  Divine  help  would  preclude  our  prayers  and 
our  exertions,  it  would  also,  for  the  same  reason, 
supersede  the  necessity  of  preaching,  or  the  inter- 
pretation of  the  word  of  God  ;  the  endeavour  to 
procure  our  food  ;  and  all  the  necessary  labours 
of  life.  If  the  opposite  inferences  could  be  justly 
derived  from  this  doctrine,  we  should  be  com- 
pelled, by  similar  reasoning,  to  adopt  conclusions 
evidently  absurd. 

Let  us,  therefore,  consider  this  great  truth  in 
an  encouraging  light.  The  language  of  God, 
when  he  speaks  on  this  subject,  is  that  of  a 
tender  father,  who,  seeing  his  children  endea- 


240  ON  THE  INABILITY  OF  MAN. 

vouring  to  accomplish  a  labour  too  arduous  for 
their  infant  strength,  offers  them  his  assistance  ; 
and  reminds  them  of  their  weakness,  only  that 
they  may  have  recourse  to  that  help  which  pride 
and  self-ignorance  would  induce  them  to  refuse. 
Let  us,  then,  more  exactly  consider,  first,  what 
is  the  Scripture  doctrine  respecting  the  inability 
of  man ;  and,  secondly^  the  grounds  we  have  to 
hope  that  the  strength  of  Christ  will  be  made 
perfect  in  our  weakness. 

I.  Without  Christ,  then,  we  can  do  nothing  ; 
that  is,  nothing  effectual  to  the  salvation  of  our 
souls.  We  may  use  a  prayer,  we  may  attend  the 
ordinances  of  Divine  grace  ;  but  without  him  we 
can  do  nothing,  proceeding  from  right  motives, 
and  continued  with  steady  perseverance ;  nothing 
to  the  effective  mortification  of  the  body  of  sin ; 
nothing  to  the  cleansing  of  our  souls  from  the  guilt 
of  our  transgressions.  The  language  of  our  Sa- 
viour does  not  suppose  that  we  are  unable  to  use 
any  endeavours,  but  that  we  are  unable  to  do 
any  thing  effectual  to  our  salvation,  without  the 
help  and  grace  of  Christ.  Let  us  enter  more 
minutely  into  the  consideration  of  the  several  par- 
ticulars of  which  this  general  view  of  my  subject 
is  composed. 

1 .  We  cannot,  then,  without  Christ,  obtain  for- 
giveness of  the  sins  which  we  have  committed. — 
It  is  the  whole  tendency  of  the  Gospel  to  point 
out  Christ  as  the  Saviour  of  the  world,  the  great 
sacrifice  for  our  offences  ;  through  the  shedding  of 
whose  most  precious  blood  alone,  we  can  obtain 
remission  of  sins.   Now,  in  order  to  be  partakers 


ON  THE  INABILITY  OF  MAN.  241 

of  the  benefits  of  his  death,  we  must  be  found 
in  him ; "  that  is,  we  must  be  united  to  him  by 
faith ;  for  none  but  those  who  truly  believe  in  him, 
are  interested  in  his  mediation.  Without  him, 
therefore,  we  can  do  nothing  to  satisfy  the  justice 
of  a  holy  and  justly-incensed  God ;  nothing  to 
cancel  the  guilt  of  our  many  transgressions  of  the 
Divine  Law  ;  nothing  effectual  to  render  ourselves 
acceptable  in  the  eyes  of  the  righteous  Governor 
of  the  world,  who  is  pleased  to  dispense  mercy 
only  to  those  who,  hearing  the  Gospel  of  Christ, 
make  application  to  Him,  and  through  Him  draw 
nigh  to  the  Father.  . 

2.  Without  Him  we  can  do  nothing  effectual  to 
the  purification  of  our  corrupt  natures. — What 
though  we  sometimes  resolve  to  serve  God  ?  How 
soon  are  our  resolutions  broken!  How  slight  a 
temptation  has  power  to  eflface  them  from  our 
remembrance !  What  though  we  sometimes  pray  ? 
Yet,  how  imperfect  are  our  prayers,  how  unworthy 
in  themselves  to  be  offered  up  to  the  pure  and 
holy  majesty  of  God  !  What  though  we  some- 
times endeavour  to  flee  from  the  wrath  to  come  ? 
Yet  this  fear  of  punishment  may  be  consistent 
with  the  love  of  sin;  may  be  wholly  a  selfish 
passion,  without  any  mixture  of  the  love  of  God. 
What  though  we  attempt  to  obey  God  ?  Do  we 
not  perceive  how  desultory,  how  defective,  how 
corrupted  our  obedience  is  ?  Are  we  not  con- 
vinced, from  our  own  experience,  that  we  need  a 
better  principle,  that  we  want  the  aid  of  superior 
power,  to  enable  us  to  offer  up  our  bodies  and  souls 
as  a  spiritual  sacrifice,  holy  and  acceptable  to 
God?  Are  we  not  persuaded  that  we  are  poor  and 

VOL.  II.  R 


242  ON  THE  INABILITY  OF  MAN. 

frail  creatures,  who  can  do  nothing  effectually,  but 
as  we  are  quickened  and  enlivened  by  the  Spirit 
of  God  ? 

Should  you  still  question  this  important  truth, 
let  me  appeal  to  the  principles  which  seem  to  be 
natural  to  man,  which  appear  in  his  earliest  in- 
fancy, and  are  congenial  to  his  very  frame;  princi- 
ples which  from  youth  to  manhood  are  continually 
acquiring  additional  strength  ;  which  the  customs 
of  the  world  tend  to  rivet  upon  the  mind ;  which 
become  the  general  springs  of  action,  the  sources 
of  all  the  business,  hurry,  splendour,  and  pleasure 
of  the  world.  Examine  well -your  hearts,  and  ob- 
serve how  much  they  are  governed  by  the  desire 
of  praise  or  the  love  of  money,  the  gratification 
of  pride  and  vanity,  the  desire  of  ease,  or  fleshly 
indulgence.    Not  to  know  the  power  of  these 
passions  is  not  to  know  yourself.  But  if  you  have 
learnt  the  influence  of  a  corrupt  nature  fortified 
by  inveterate  habits  and  supported  by  the  cus- 
toms of  the  world,  you  will  need  no  other  know- 
ledge to  convince  you  that  the  assistance  of  God 
is  necessary  to  enable  you  to  engage  with  activity 
in  his  service.    And  is  not  this  a  difficult  work  ? 
Does  it  not  appear  to  be  almost  impossible  ?  By 
what  principles  will  you  accomplish  it  ?  Those 
which  you  possess  will  not  be  sufficient ;  and 
those  which  would  avail,  you  have  yet  to  obtain. 
A  gradual  alteration  may,  I  grant,  be  made  in  the 
outward  system  of  our  lives,  from  experience  of 
past  inconveniences  or  misfortunes :  but  this  is 
only  a  different  direction  given  to  the  same  prin- 
ciples. Selfishness  has  assumed  a  different  shape, 
which,  although  perhaps  less  distant  from  true 


ON  THE  INABILITY  OF  MAN.  243 

righteousness,  is  still  very  remote  from  it.  The 
fear  of  God,  and  the  love  of  God,  can  only  be 
implanted  in  the  heart  by  God  himself. 

But  are  you  still  unconvinced  ?  What  say  you, 
then,  to  the  levity  and  fickleness  of  your  heart  ? 
Are  you  not  alarmed  to  perceive  how  soon,  how 
very  soon,  you  have  forgotten  the  strongest  reso- 
lutions, and  lost  the  liveliest  emotions  of  love  to 
God  ?    Do  you  not  find  in  yourself  a  constant 
proneness  to  relapse  into  insensibility  and  sin ; 
while,  on  the  other  hand,  the  return  to  God  is 
difficult,  is  forced,  is  extraordinary — 1  had  almost 
said,  is  unnatural  ?  With  such  dispositions  to  im- 
pede your  progress,  consider  also  how  much  you 
must  attain.  To  be  a  real  Christian  is  to  resemble 
Christ.    It  is  to  act  from  pure  motives,  to  walk 
in  holiness  of  heart  and  life,  to  renounce  the  world 
with  all  its  pomps  and  vanities,  and  the  flesh  with 
all  its  sinful  affections.    It  is  to  be  heavenly 
minded,  to  possess  holy  affections,  to  be  an  heir 
of  God  through  Christ  Jesus. 

Consider,  then,  the  difficulties  you  have  to  en- 
counter. You  have  enemies  whom  you  see  not. 
Besides  the  custom  of  the  world,  which  like  a 
mighty  tide  bears  every  thing  before  it,  you  will 
be  assaulted  by  foes  who^e  attacks  you  cannot 
foresee.  You  have  to  wrestle  not  against  flesh 
and  blood,  but  against  principalities,  against 
powers,  against  the  rulers  of  the  darkness  of  this  ^ 
world,  against  spiritual  wickedness  in  high  places." 
How  then  shall  you  be  able  to  prevail  against  such 
powers  ?  Where  are  your  resources  ?  Look  within, 
and  you  discover  only  a  weak  and  wavering  re- 
solution, a  corrupt  nature,  and  a  treacherous  heart. 

a  2 


244  ON  THE  INABILITY  OF  MAN. 

How  then  will  you  fight  such  a  battle,  and  per- 
severe in  it  to  the  end  ? 

In  fact,  the  trial  has  been  sufficiently  made. 
We  are  not  now  to  learn  what  the  powers  of 
nature  could  do,  and  what  would  be  the  effect  of 
the  arguments  which  reason  could  adduce.  Philo- 
sophy long  opposed  her  barrier  to  the  passions  of 
men.  She  pointed  out  the  inconveniences  of  vice 
to  ourselves  and  to  society.  She  made  eulogiums 
upon  the  excellence  of  reason,  and  in  many  re- 
spects well  explained  the  folly  of  transgression. 
But,  after  all  her  efforts,  twelve  illiterate  men  were 
able,  through  the  power  of  Christ,  to  promote  the 
reformation  of  the  world,  in  a  far  higher  degree 
than  all  the  various  sects  of  philosophers,  with  all 
their  united  labours.  What  instantaneous  effects 
did  the  preaching  of  the  Apostles  produce  !  With 
what  power  was  the  heart  arrested  by  it!  Nature 
and  habits  were  changed  at  once :  the  debauched 
and  sensual  became  pure  and  holy,  and  devoted 
their  whole  lives  to  the  service  of  God.  What  an 
index  is  this,  pointing  out  to  us  the  unseen  power 
of  the  Spirit  of  God,  imparting  his  strength  to  the 
weak,  and  his  holiness  to  the  impure ! 

II.  Without  me  ye  can  do  nothing. — This  ex- 
pression intimates,  that  with  Christ  we  may  be 
able  to  do  all  things  necessary  to  salvation ;  and, 
taken  in  connection  with  the  discourse  of  which 
it  is  a  part,  it  shews  us  the  power  of  our  gracious 
Redeemer  employed  in  helping  and  saving  those 
who  come  to  him  by  faith. 

Jesus  Christ  is  the  ''Alpha  and  Omega"  of  the 
Christian  religion.    Herein  it  is  essentially  dis- 


ON  THE  INABILITY  OF  MAN.  245 

tinguished  from  every  other  religious  system. 
It  has  a  Mediator,  an  Atonement,  a  Saviour.  It 
does  not  merely  inculcate  the  practice  of  moral 
duties — it  points  out  One  **able  to  save,  even  to 
the  uttermost,  all  that  come  unto  God  by  him." 
This  Divine  Saviour  sends  his  Spirit  into  the  hearts 
of  Christians;  and  thus,  by  his  abiding  influence, 
may  be  said  to  dv^ell  or  to  abide  in  them.  Hence 
the  Apostle  uses  such  terms  as  these  :  ''I  live; 
yet  not  I,  but  Christ  liveth  in  me."  I  laboured 
more  abundantly  than  they  all ;  yet  not  I,  but  the 
grace  of  God  w^hich  was  with  me."  I  can  do  all 
things,  through  Christ  which  strengtheneth  me." 
And  he  thus  warns  the  Corinthians:  Know  ye 
not  your  own  selves,  how  that  Jesus  Christ  is  in 
you,  except  ye  be  reprobates  ? "  St.  John  encou- 
rages the  disciples  in  similar  language:  Greater 
is  He  that  is  in  you,  than  he  that  is  in  the  world." 
And  our  Saviour  promises,  If  a  man  love  me, 
he  will  keep  my  words,  and  my  Father  will  love 
him,  and  we  will  come  unto  him,  and  make  our 
abode  with  him." 

All  these  scriptural  declarations,  when  stripped 
of  their  figurative  language,  must  surely  amount 
at  least  to  this, — that  Christ  will  influence  the 
hearts  of  those  that  believe  on  him ;  that  he  will 
assist  them  in  their  obedience ;  and  impart  to  them 
a  degree  of  peace  and  comfort  which  they  could 
only  obtain  from  his  peculiar  favour. 

And  is  it  indeed  one  of  the  principal  articles 
of  the  Christian  faith,  that  there  is  a  Saviour  by 
whose  strength  our  weakness  is  to  be  supported  ? 
Then  it  is  evident  that  a  new  direction  must  be 
given  to  our  endeavours :  they  must  not  be  less 


246 


ox  THF.  INABILITY  OF  MAN. 


earnest,  but  they  must  be  in  some  measure  turned 
into  a  different  channel.  It  must  be  our  principal 
object  to  be  made  partakers  of  Christ,  to  receive 
strength  from  him,  to  glorify  and  praise  him  for 
all  the  grace  we  enjoy,  to  exercise  dependence 
upon  him,  and  to  rejoice  in  his  mercy  and  power. 
Behold  here  the  principle  by  which  we  may  un- 
derstand all  the  strong  expressions  of  love  and 
gratitude  which  the  Apostle  felt:  God  forbid 
that  I  should  glory,  save  in  the  cross  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ.''  "  That  ye,  being  rooted  and 
grounded  in  love,  may  be  able  to  comprehend, 
with  all  saints,  what  is  the  breadth,  and  length,  and 
depth,  and  height,  and  to  know  the  love  of  Christ, 
which  passeth  knowledge,  that  ye  might  be  filled 
with  all  the  fulness  of  God."  "  Unto  me,  who 
am  less  than  the  least  of  all  saints,  is  this  grace 
given,  that  T  should  preach  among  the  Gentiles 
the  unsearchable  riches  of  Christ.'"  "  The  love  of 
Christ  constraineth  us.*"  Such  lang^uatce  evinces 
something  more  than  the  reverence  due  to  the 
character  of  a  Teacher :  it  argues  a  mind  labour- 
ing to  express  the  warmest  feelings  of  gratitude 
to  the  Highest  of  benefactors  :  it  exhibits  the 
feelings  of  a  heart  which  contemplated  God  as 
the  Guide  and  Supporter  of  man,  as  a  Redeemer 
and  an  Intercessor. 

Let  us  apply,  then,  the  doctrine  which  has  been 
delivered. 

1 .  Let  it  awaken  those  who  excuse  their  sloth- 
fulness,  or  their  love  of  sin,  under  the  plea  of  their 
own  inability. — Be  persuaded,  either  that  you 
mistake  the  Gospel,  or  that  you  pervert  it.  You 


ON  THE  INABILITY  OF  MAN.  247 

may  wait,  as  you  think,  for  the  grace  of  God,  and 
in  the  mean  time  hope  you  are  excusable,  though 
you  gain  not  the  victory  over  sin  ;  or  you  may  go 
still  farther,  and  satisfy  yourself  with  occasional 
prayers  for  the  mercy  and  grace  of  God  :  but  be 
assured,  that  at  the  great  day  of  judgment  these 
excuses  will  not  justify  you  in  his  sight.  Place 
yourselves  in  imagination  at  that  solemn  bar, 
before  which  you  must  one  day  stand.  Will  you 
dare  then  to  plead  as  an  excuse  for  your  sins, 
that  you  could  not  convert  yourself?  Would  such 
a  plea  be  admitted  by  that  righteous  Judge  ?  Your 
consciences  will  answer  that  question.    Man  is  a 
responsible  creature,  and  the  doctrines  of  the 
Gospel  must  not  be  so  interpreted  as  to  destroy 
his  responsibility.   Be  assured  that  our  guilt  will 
not  be  removed,  nor  the  awful  sentence  of  con- 
demnation  suspended,  by  a  metaphysical  subtlety. 
Arise,  then,  and  shake  off  your  lethargy  :  consider 
yourself  as  a  sinner  on  the  brink  of  perdition. 
Know  your  danger,  and  let  the  knowledge  of  it 
'    influence  your  conduct.    Who,  in  the  instant  of 
peril,  stays  to  reason  upon  the  difficulty  of  avoid- 
ing it,  or  on  natural  and  moral  impossibility?  It 
is  a  moment  in  which  every  faculty  is  called  into 
exercise;  when  we  cease  to  speculate  and  begin 
to  act.    Be  this  your  example.    Call  upon  God. 
Use  the  means  of  grace,  without  embarrassing 
yourself  by  inquiring  into  subtle  questions  which 
none  can  thoroughly  understand.  Thus,  and  thus 
only,  can  you  escape  the  wrath  to  come.    But  if 
you  persist  in  attempting  nothing,  because  nothing 
can  be  accomplished  but  by  the  power  of  God, 
what  can  you  expect  but  to  perish,  as  despisers 


248  OxV  THE  INABILITY  OF  MAN. 

of  the  grace  which  has  been  offered  through 
Jesus  Christ  ? 

2.  Let  this  doctrine  teach  us  humility,  and  de- 
pendence upon  Christ. — Far  be  it  from  me  to 
minister  to  the  pride  of  our  corrupt  nature  by  an 
exaggerated  representation  of  our  own  strength. 
All  power  is  from  God ;  and  our  conviction  of 
this  truth  should  be  evident  by  our  earnestness  in 
seeking  the  Divine  assistance.  Beware  of  enter- 
taining high  thoughts  of  yourself,  or  of  expecting 
to  do  any  thing  acceptable  to  God,  but  by  his 
especial  grace  working  in  you  to  will  and  to  do. 
Prove  that  you  believe  the  doctrine  of  mans 
inability  by  the  disposition  in  which  you  enter 
upon  any  good  work.  Let  it  be  with  fervent 
prayer  to  God  for  ability.  Proceed  in  the  exe- 
cution of  it  with  a  constant  dependence  upon 
the  grace  of  Christ,  and  with  deep  humility  of 
spirit.  And  when  you  look  back  upon  any  act 
of  holy  obedience;  see  that  you  do  not  cherish 
pride  and  self-exaltation  ;  but,  with  all  lowliness 
of  mind,  render  your  thanksgiving  to  God,  whose 
grace  has  enabled  the  unworthiest  and  weakest 
of  his  servants  to  glorify  his  Name. 

3.  Let  us  derive  from  this  subject  encourage- 
ment in  seeking  to  know  God,  and  in  endeavour- 
ing to  serve  him.  — The  legitimate  knowledge  of 
our  own  weakness  is  given  by  God.  He  imparts 
it  to  those  who  faithfully  strive  against  sin,  who 
read  the  Scriptures  with  diligence,  and  stedfastly 
use  the  means  of  grace.  I  say,  the  legitimate 
knowledge  ;  for  there  is  a  spurious  knowledge  of 
our  own  inability,  which  arises  merely  from  the 
indulgence  of  our  corrupt  propensities.    Such  is 


ON  THE  INABILITY  OF  MAN.  249 

his  knowledge,  who  yields  to  his  sins  because  he 
loves  them ;  who  neither  strives  for  victory  over 
his  depraved  nature,  nor  seriously  wishes  to  be 
delivered  from  its  power.  This  kind  of  knowledge 
can  produce  no  salutary  effect.  It  generates 
only  inactivity  and  self-indulgence.  But  the 
legitimate  knowledge  of  our  inability,  though  it 
is  given  to  humble  man,  yet  is  given  to  encourage 
him  also  :  to  encourage  him  to  apply  to  a  gracious 
God,  who  has  sent  his  Son  to  redeem  us,  and  his 
Spirit  to  help  our  infirmities.  Be  emboldened, 
then,  notwithstanding  the  sense  of  your  weak- 
ness, to  hope  in  the  Lord,  and  to  put  your  trust 
in  his  power  and  grace.  Look  to  him  with  re- 
newed earnestness  and  confidence :  trust  in  his 
grace,  and  rely  upon  his  promises  :  and  the 
strength  of  Christ  will  be  made  perfect  in  the 
weakness  of  man,  and  the  glory  of  the  Lord  be 
displayed,  where  our  own  insufficiency  is  most 
deeply  felt  and  acknowledged. 


250 


ON  THE  CONNECTION  BETWEEN 


SERMON  XVIL 

ON  THE  CONNECTION  BETWEEN  REGENERATION 
AND  OTHER  DOCTRINES  OF  THE  GOSPEL. 


JOHN  iii.  1  —  3. 
There  was  a  man  of  the  Pharisees,  named  Nicodemus, 
a  ruler  of  the  Jews.  The  same  came  to  Jesus  by 
night,  and  said  unto  him,  Rabbi,  we  know  that 
thou  art  a  Teacher  come  from  God;  for  no  man 
can  do  these  miracles  that  thou  doest,  except  God 
he  with  him.  Jesus  answered  and  said  unto  him. 
Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  thee.  Except  a  man  be 
born  again y  he  cannot  see  the  kingdom  of  God. 

When  a  person,  claiming  so  high  a  title  as  that 
of  the  Son  of  God,  proposes  to  us  a  new  religion, 
grounded  upon  the  evidence  of  various  miracles ; 
and  declares,  that,  according  to  their  reception 
or  rejection  of  it,  mankind  shall  be  saved  or 
perish  for  ever ;  it  is  highly  incumbent  upon  us 
clearly  to  understand  vs^hat  are  its  characteristic 
doctrines  and  peculiar  genius,  and  wherein  it 
essentially  differs  from  other  religions  which  have 
been  received  in  the  world.  The  curiosity  of 
Nicodemus,  therefore,  was  laudable ;  and  the 
inquiry  he  made  was  proper  and  important.  He 
had  seen  Jesus  perform  such  miracles  as  indis- 
putably proved  that  God  was  with  him ;  and  he 


REGENERATION  AND  OTHER  DOCTRINES.  251 

considered  those  miracles  as  attestations  to  the 
truth  of  the  doctrines  he  delivered.  We  know," 
says  he,  that  Thou  art  a  Teacher  come  from 
God."  But  though  he  was  persuaded  of  this,  he 
does  not  appear  yet  to  have  been  satisfied  re- 
specting the  peculiar  nature  of  the  doctrine  of 
Christ ;  and  he  therefore  comes  to  him  by  night, 
to  seek  information  on  that  subject. 

In  answer  to  his  inquiry,  our  Lord,  without 
further  preface,  lays  down,  with  a  solemn  asseve- 
ration, a  doctrine  so  intimately  connected  with 
every  other  part  of  Christianity,  that  it  may  be 
justly  called  the  fundamental  article  of  the 
Christian  faith  :  and,  further  to  enforce  the  prac- 
tical observance  of  this  great  truth,  he  declares, 
that  except  a  person  experienced  the  change  of 
which  he  spoke,  he  could  not  enter  the  kingdom 
of  God. 

Regeneration  has,  by  some,  been  supposed  to 
mean  little  more  than  the  being  admitted  into 
the  church  by  the  act  of  baptism.  I  shall  not  on 
this  occasion  enter  into  the  refutation  of  this 
doctrine,  which  I  think  is  supported  neither  by 
reason  nor  Scripture.  It  will  be  sufficient  for 
my  present  purpose  to  observe,  that  this  suppo- 
sition would  degrade  the  character  of  the  Most 
High,  since  it  represents  him  as  punishing  with 
eternal  destruction  the  neglect  of  an  appointed 
rite  ;  and  that  it  is  derogatory  to  the  person  and 
mission  of  our  Redeemer,  who  is  thus  exhibited 
as  enforcing  with  the  utmost  solemnity,  and  by 
the  most  awful  sanctions,  the  observance  of  an 
outward  ceremony. 

Baptism  is,  however,  both  a  type  or  figure  of 


252  ON  THE  CONNECTION  BETWEEN 

regeneration,  and  in  some  measure  connected 
with  it.  Except  a  man  be  born  of  water  and 
the  Spirit" — that  is,  unless  a  man  be  admitted 
into  the  spiritual  church  of  Christ  by  that  new 
birth  of  which  the  rite  of  baptism  is  illustrative — 

he  cannot  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God."  It 
is,  indeed,  at  once  a  great  evidence  of  the  truth 
of  the  doctrine  of  regeneration,  and  strong  illus- 
tration of  its  importance,  that  the  rite  by  which 
we  are  admitted  into  the  Christian  church  bears 
so  close  an  analogy  and  reference  to  it. 

Some,  whose  interpretation  of  this  doctrine 
has  been  substantially  consistent  with  the  word 
of  God,  have  yet,  in  their  statements,  exceeded 
the  limits  of  scriptural  truth,  and  have  made 
many  rash  and  unwarrantable  assertions  on  this 
subject.  Yet,  however  injurious  such  errors 
may  be,  the  danger  of  the  present  times  arises 
not  so  much  from  enthusiasm,  as  from  an  indif- 
ference to  spiritual  things.  There  is  a  sober 
sense  of  the  doctrine,  in  which  good  men  have 
been  generally  agreed ;  and,  taken  in  this  sense, 
it  is  justly  ranked  as  one  of  the  most  important 
of  Christianity,  securing  the  interests  of  true 
holiness  equally  from  the  carelessness  of  the 
world  and  the  abuse  of  the  enthusiast.  This 
sense  I  cannot  better  express  than  in  the  words 
of  our  Church,  wherein  the  outward  and  visible 
sign"  of  baptism  is  represented  to  signify  '*an 
inward  and  spiritual  grace;"  viz.  **a  death  unto 
sin  and  a  new  birth  unto  righteousness;"  ''for 
being  by  nature  born  in  sin,  and  the  children  of 
wrath,  we  are  hereby  made  the  children  of  grace." 

The  doctrine,  thus  interpreted,  I  propose,  as 


REGENERATION  AND  OTHER  DOCTRINES.  253 

the  subject  of  our  present  consideration.  It  is 
not  my  intention  to  enter  into  an  explanation  of 
the  new  birth,  but  to  offer  some  remarks  on  its 
genius  and  character,  and  to  explain  how  Chris- 
tianity is  distinguished  from  other  religions  by 
this  important  article  of  faith. 

I.  The  foundation  of  the  doctrine  of  regenera- 
tion, is  the  acknowledgment  of  human  depravity  ; 
for  it  is  necessary  we  should  be  born  again  of 
the  Spirit,  only  because  we  are  totally  corrupt 
in  our  natural  state.  Now  the  character  which 
Christianity  thus  gives  of  mankind,  is  not  to  be 
discovered  in  any  other  religious  system.  I  ex- 
cept, indeed,  the  Jewish  religion,  in  which  all  the 
particular  doctrines  of  Christianity  were  obscurely 
delineated.  But  the  religion  of  Jesus  Christ,  as 
it  has  required  a  degree  of  purity  such  as  was 
never  taught  before,  so  it  has  given  a  description 
of  the  depravity  of  man  which,  till  its  promulga- 
tion, was  utterly  unknown.  The  whole  world, 
by  which  is  meant  all  who  are  not  regenerate, 
are  represented  as  lying  in  wickedness,  as  in 
enmity  to  God,  and  as  opposing  truth ;  and  this 
evil  character  of  mankind  is  attributed,  in  the 
New  Testament,  to  the  depraved  state  of  human 
nature  :  men  are  born  in  sin  ;  "  they  are  chil- 
dren of  wrath,"  and    under  the  curse." 

That  this  representation  of  the  state  of  the 
world  is  peculiar  to  Christianity,  is  sufficiently 
evident,  and  is  indeed  a  very  strong  presumption 
of  its  Divine  origin.  The  sad  experience  of  our 
own  hearts,  when  enlightened  by  the  Spirit  of 
God,  our  inability  to  conceive  justly  of  the  true 


254  ON  THE  CONNECTION  BETWEEN 

nature  of  sin  and  holiness,  are  sufficient,  inde- 
pendently of  other  proofs,  to  confirm  the  truth  of 
what  Jesus  Christ  and  his  Apostles  have  revealed 
on  this  awful  subject.  But  to  give  so  shocking 
a  description  of  the  state  of  mankind  required  in 
the  teacher  of  a  new  religion,  not  only  the  deep- 
est insight  into  human  nature,  but  a  measure  of 
firmness  and  resolution  which  nothing  but  the 
confidence  of  truth  could  have  inspired.  What 
false  teacher  could  have  dared  to  give  so  un- 
favourable an  account  of  his  fellow- creatures  ?  I 
might  almost  say,  what  person  of  a  benevolent 
mind,  who  was  not  speaking  by  the  immediate 
authority  of  God,  could  have  done  so  ? 

But  Christianity,  though  it  probes  the  wound 
deep,  does  so  with  a  pitying  hand  and  with  a 
kind  intention.  For  from  this  description  of 
mankind,  which  no  one,  who  has  not  put  off  hu- 
manity, can  read  without  pity,  or  acknowledge 
without  grief,  is  derived  that  humility  which  is 
peculiar  to  a  Christian,  and  a  train  of  virtuous 
dispositions  connected  with  it  which  are  only  of 
Christian  growth.  Of  humility,  as  a  virtue,  the 
heathens  had  so  little  conception,  that  the  Roman 
language  did  not  even  contain  a  word  to  express 
it.  That  poverty  of  spirit  to  which  the  kingdom 
of  heaven  is  promised  ;  that  contrition  for  sin, 
and  deep  repentance,  which  are  only  the  next 
degree  below  innocence ;  that  tenderness  of  con- 
science which,  knowing  its  danger,  watches  with 
jealous  sensibility  against  the  approach  of  sin ; 
that  spirit  of  earnest  supplication  at  the  Throne  of 
Grace  which,  in  a  posture  so  justly  befitting  man, 
humbly  implores  mercy  ;  that  confidence  in  the 


REGENERATION  AND  OTHER  DOCTRINES.  255 

Divine  help,  which  they  who  distrust  themselves 
will  cherish,  and  which  tends  equally  to  ascribe 
glory  to  God  and  produce  security  to  man; — all 
these  virtuous  emotions  take  their  rise  from  that 
very  affecting  description  of  human  depravity 
which  Christianity  alone  has  given. 

How  striking  is  the  difference  between  some  of 
the  wisest  of  the  ancient  philosophers  and  those 
who  are  real  Christians!   Regard  the  former! 
conceited  of  their  wisdom,  boasting,  confident, 
and  vain-glorious.    Behold  the  latter !  After  all 
their  present  prayers,  their  works  of  piety,  labours 
of  love,  and  earnest  endeavours  to  be  more  pure 
and  holy  ;  you  see  them  still  lamenting  their  de- 
pravity, and  acknowledging  with  sincere  grief 
their  utter  unworthiness.    Is  it  that  these  men 
are  really  more  corrupt  and  unworthy  than  the 
former  ?    Or  is  it  that  their  confessions  are  in- 
sincere ?  Or  is  it  not  that  the  pride  of  the  human 
heart,  which  the  Gospel  proposes  to  eradicate,  is 
removed  ;  and  the  humility  which  the  Gospel 
implants  has  taken  root  and  flourished  ? 

n.  Nearly  connected  with  the  doctrine  of  the 
depravity  of  man,  is  that  of  the  insufficiency  of 
human  righteousness  to  justify  a  sinner  in  the 
sight  of  God.  This  truth  is  also  implied  by  the 
necessity  of  spiritual  regeneration.  And  this  is 
a  doctrine  which  no  other  religion  but  that  of 
Christ  ever  inculcated  ;  on  the  contrary,  however 
inconsistent  the  different  opinions  of  the  nature 
of  virtue  have  been,  whatever  different  methods 
men  have  taken  to  obtain  it,  still  their  whole 
dependence  has  been  placed  upon  the  sufficiency 


256  ON  THE  CONNECTION  BETWEEN 

of  their  own  attainments.  They  have  looked  to 
their  own  virtue  and  goodness,  to  secure  eternal 
happiness. 

But  how  different,  how  much  more  noble, 
more  worthy  of  God,  and  more  suitable  to  man, 
are  the  sentiments  which  Christianity  inculcates  ! 
We  see  in  the  religion  of  Jesus  Christ  a  regular 
design  to  glorify  and  exalt  the  holiness  of  the 
Divine  Being,  in  the  sight  of  whom  the  utmost 
purity  of  man  is  unclean,  in  whose  holy  balance 
his  best  works  are  found  wanting.  Forbidden 
to  place  any  confidence  in  himself,  and  taught 
that  every  good  desire  and  purpose  of  his  heart 
proceeds  from  God ;  the  Christian,  while  he  is 
as  holy  as  the  frailty  of  human  nature  will  permit, 
trusts  not  in  his  holiness,  but,  in  consequence  of 
his  enlarged  views  of  duty,  sees  so  much  imper- 
fection even  in  his  best  services,  that  he  gladly 
embraces  the  offer  of  salvation  made  to  sinners, 
through  the  mediation  and  mercy  of  a  Redeemer. 

We  may  always  suspect  the  truth  of  any  article 
of  faith  which  does  not  tend  to  produce  good 
practical  effects.  Utility  is  among  the  surest 
tests  of  any  doctrine ;  and  in  the  case  before  us, 
not  only  is  the  Saviour's  Name  magnified,  by 
a  renunciation  of  our  own  righteousness,  but  a 
greater  degree  of  purity  results  from  it :  for  the 
absence  of  genuine  piety  seems  to  be  chiefly 
owing  to  the  opinion  which  too  generally  prevails 
of  the  sufficiency  of  human  virtue.  He  who 
entertains  a  deep-rooted  opinion  that  his  own 
virtue  must  recommend  him  to  God,  is  naturally 
led  to  establish  a  low  standard  of  virtue,  and  to 
form  a  loose  and  general  idea  of  holiness,  as 


REGENERATION  AND  OTHER  DOCTRINES.  257 

meaning  little  more  than  a  freedom  from  acts  of 
gross  sin. 

But  when  Christianity  teaches  man,  that  he 
cannot  by  any  righteousness  of  his  own  obtain  the 
pardon  or  favour  of  God,  the  intention  is  not  to 
make  him  easy  in  the  neglect  of  virtue.  No  :  the 
Gospel  overthrows  a  weak  edifice,  but  to  build 
on  more  secure  foundations.  It  reminds  man  of 
the  insufficiency  of  his  works,  that  he  may  be 
induced  to  apply  to  Him  who  is  the  fountain  of 
all  sufficiency,  and  the  source  of  all  help.  It 
shews  him  the  imperfection  of  his  own  righte- 
ousness, and  leads  him  to  mourn  over  it,  that  he 
may  seek  the  purity  of  heart  and  life  which  is 
wrought  by  the  influence  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  It 
directs  him  with  purer  principles,  with  a  better 
aim,  with  a  surer  hope,  and  a  more  powerful  aid, 
to  attain  a  more  elevated  degree  of  holiness. 

III.  The  influence  of  the  Holy  Spirit  is  the  third 
particular,  in  the  doctrine  of  Regeneration,  which 
marks  the  peculiar  character  of  Christianity. — The 
Gospel  is  emphatically  styled,  the  ministration 
of  the  Spirit."  "  As  many  as  are  led  by  the  Spirit 
of  God,  they  are  the  sons  of  God."  **  If  any  man 
have  not  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  he  is  none  of  his." 
"We  are  saved  by  the  washing  of  regeneration  and 
renewing  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  which  is  shed  on  us 
abundantly  through  Jesus  Christ."  That  which 
is  born  of  the  Spirit  is  spirit." 

All  religions,  which  have  any  pretension  to  the 
notice  of  a  rational  being,  agree  in  this  point,  that 
they  require  a  degree  of  moral  goodness  in  their 
votaries.  But  Christianity  not  only  differs  mate- 

VOL.  II.  s 


258  ON  THE  CONNECTION  BETWEEN 

rially  from  them,  by  requiring  in  its  disciples  a 
degree  of  purity  and  strictness  essentially  different 
from  that  which  is  enjoined  by  any  other  religious 
system,  but  by  referring  to  an  Almighty  Agent  as 
the  only  source  of  this  goodness.  If  the  assistance 
of  the  Spirit  of  God  holds  out  great  encourage- 
ment, it  no  less  increases  our  obligations  and  aug- 
ments our  responsibility ;  for  the  Gospel  requires 
of  those  to  whom  this  Divine  aid  is  given,  a  mea- 
sure of  holiness,  inconsistent  with  the  natural  state 
and  powers  of  man  :  it  demands  such  a  change  in 
their  habits  and  principles,  as  may  justly  entitle 
them  to  the  appellation  of  new  creatures.  Without 
this  change  it  does  not  consider  them  as  Chris- 
tians. The  flesh  is,  in  the  New^  Testament,  op- 
posed to  the  Spirit ;  that  is,  the  natural  state  of 
man,  to  his  state  as  recovered  by  the  Spirit. 

Christianity  is  not,  like  other  religions,  mtio?ial; 
it  is  entirely  pei'sojial.  We  are  indeed,  by  birth, 
entitled  to  baptism,  and  to  be  admitted  into  the 
external  church  of  Christ — that  is,  we  are  ad- 
mitted into  a  solemn  covenant  with  God,  in  which 
we  promise  this  personal  change ;  and  our  hope 
of  salvation  depends  on  its  taking  place  within 
our  hearts.  It  is  one  of  the  elements  of  Christian 
science,  that  without  holiness  no  man  shall  see  the 
Lord. 

Other  religions  have  chiefly  insisted  upon  the 
admission  of  certain  opi?iions  or  ceremonies  ;  and  a 
person,  according  to  his  reception  of  the  one  and 
practice  of  the  other,  was  considered  as  a  votary 
of  that  religion,  and  entitled  to  its  benefits.  Even 
the  Jews  had  fallen,  in  our  Saviour's  time,  into  a 
gross  mistake  of  this  kind,  which  our  Saviour's 


REGENERATION  AND  OTHER  DOCTRINES.  259 


Sermon  on  the  Mount  is  chiefly  intended  to  ex- 
pose, and  to  shew  that  in  the  pure  system  he  was 
about  to  deliver,  though  there  would  be  doctrines 
and  ceremonies,  yet  no  observance  of  these  could 
atone  for  the  wilful  breach  of  the  least  command- 
ment. All  the  doctrines  of  Christianity,  and  all 
the  ceremonies  it  requires,  are  of  a  practical 
nature  :  they  tend  to  implant  principles  which 
will  most  powerfully  produce  practical  holiness ; 
and  only  in  proportion  as  that  practical  influence 
is  felt,  are  the  doctrines  of  the  Gospel  rightly 
understood. 

Other  religions  have  made  the  principal  part  of 
duty  consist  in  abstaining  from  certain  crimes, 
and  practising  a  limited  degree  of  virtue;  but 
Christianity  requires  much  more :  she  insists  upon 
her  disciples  being  active  in  doing  good.  Their 
members  they  are  to  yield  as  instruments  of  righ- 
teousness and  holiness ;  their  bodies  they  are  to 
present  as  a  reasonable  sacrifice  unto  God.  It  is 
not  enough  that  they  do  no  evil :  they  are  to  do 
good  to  all  men ;  to  consider  their  time,  money, 
and  influence,  as  talents  with  which  they  are  to 
occupy  till  their  Master  calls  them  to  account. 

Other  religions  have  been  contented  merely 
with  an  external  practice,  conformable  to  their 
rules  :  Christianity  requires,  that  all  the  righteous 
actions  of  her  servants  should  be  done  from  the 
heart ;  not  of  constraint,  but  willingly.  They  must 
be  the  offerings  of  a  free  will ;  the  natural  dictates 
of  the  heart,  and  of  an  understanding  so  renewed 
as  to  approve  and  delight  in  them.  The  Chris- 
tian's tempers  are  no  less  the  subjects  of  reforma- 
tion than  his  actions.    A  worldly  temper  is  as 

S  2 


260  ON  THE  CONNECTION  BETWEEN 

contrary  to  his  character,  and  as  opposite  to  the 
nature  and  genius  of  Christianity,  as  an  evil  action. 
A  general  carelessness  and  remissness  about  our 
souls  is  represented  in  the  New  Testament  as 
not  less  culpable  than  positive  acts  of  sin.  In 
short,  a  Christian  is  one  w^hose  will  is  renewed  to 
love  God  ;  who  feels  that  the  service  of  his  Maker 
is  at  once  his  glory  and  his  joy ;  who  has  a  grate- 
ful sense  of  his  obligations  to  the  Divine  mercy, 
and  a  rational  and  permanent  abhorrence  of  sin. 
Influenced  by  just  principles  and  noble  desires, 
he  is  no  longer  a  slave  to  the  world  or  the  flesh ; 
no  longer  places  his  happiness  in  the  gratifications 
of  vanity,  the  luxury  of  ease,  or  the  enjoyment 
of  worldly  pleasures.  He  looks  up  to  heaven  as 
his  home,  and  he  is  training  for  it  in  the  practice 
of  all  righteous  duties  which  that  seat  of.unsullied 
holiness  requires.  Such  is  the  nature  and  purpose 
of  Christianity^ — that  religion  which  the  Son  of 
God  came  down  from  heaven  to  inculcate. 

From  this  view  of  the  change  of  heart  which 
the  religion  of  Jesus  Christ  requires,  I  proceed  to 
derive  some  practical  admonitions. 

And,  first,  I  address  the  careless  and  worldly- 
minded. — You  will  object  to  this  representation 
of  the  design  of  the  Gospel,  and  think  that  the 
benefits  of  Christianity  may  be  obtained  without 
this  extreme  strictness  of  life  and  purity  of  heart. 
But  I  appeal  to  yourselves,  whether  what  the 
Gospel  thus  demands  of  us  is  not  a  reasonable 
service.  Can  you  expect  that  God  should  suffer 
his  creatures  to  live  on  his  bounty,  and  to  partake 
of  the  mercy  he  has  offered  them,  without  a  holy 


UEGKNEKATION  AND  OTHER  DOCTRINES.  261 

conformity  to  his  will,  without  endeavouring  to 
honour  and  serve  him,  to  the  utmost  of  their  power, 
with  the  faculties  he  has  given  them  ?    Can  you 
expect  that  he  will  receive  into  heaven,  that  pure 
and  holy  seat  in  which  he  is  peculiarly  present, 
those  who  have  not  been  prepared  for  that  glorious 
mansion  ?  The  least  serious  reflection  must  con- 
vince you,  that  God  has  given  to  man  a  capacity 
to  serve  him,  and  that  he  must  therefore  require 
from  him  a  diligent  and  upright  obedience.  And 
what  is  that  religion  which  the  Son  of  God,  coming 
down  from  heaven,  must  have  been  expected  to 
teach  ?    A  religion  consistent  with  impurity,  or 
with  ignorance,  or  with  spiritual  indiflerence  ?  A 
religion  substituting  the  belief  of  mere  opinions 
for  holy  practice  ?  A  religion  allowing  a  practice 
partially  virtuous,  and  admitting  the  performance 
of  some  parts  of  duty  as  a  compensation  for  the 
neglect  of  the  rest  ?   No  :  it  is  evident,  that,  in  a 
religion  taught  by  the  Son  of  God  himself,  no 
insincerity  could  be  admitted :  that  he  could  not 
have  quitted  the  scene  of  his  glory  to  teach  a 
system  in  which  the  highest  faculties  of  man,  his 
will  and  his  affections,  were  to  find  a  partial  or 
subordinate  exercise.    He  came  to  purchase  to 
himself  a  peculiar  people,  zealous  of  good  works; 
and  the  sum  of  his  commandments  is,  to  love  the 
Lord  our  God  with  all  our  heart  and  soul  and 
strength,  and  our  neighbour  as  ourself. 

But  while  I  therefore  inculcate  on  the  careless 
sinner  the  absolute  necessity  of  Christian  holiness, 
let  me  not  forget,  that  amongst  my  hearers  there 
are  probably  many  upright  but  humble  and  dif- 
fident persons,  who  are  truly  desirous  to  serve 


262  ON  THE  CONNECrrON  BETWEEN 

Christ,  though  they  feel  and  lament  the  difficulty 
of  subduing  the  corruption  of  their  nature.  I  would 
remind  them,  that  it  is  peculiar  to  the  Gospel  of 
Christ  to  afford  hope  and  encouragement  to  the 
humble.  Let  not  this  description  of  the  extensive 
nature  or  perfect  degree  of  Christian  holiness, 
lead  you  for  an  instant  to  consider  Christ  as  a 
hard  Master,  or  his  service  as  an  unreasonable 
bondage.  His  yoke  is  easy,  and  his  burden  light. 
He  has  considered,  he  does  consider,  human  in- 
firmity. Heknoweth  our  frame  :  he  remembereth 
we  are  but  dust."  And  therefore,  though  he  cannot 
dispense  with  this  sincerity  of  heart  and  practical 
holiness  in  his  disciples,  he  has  amply  furnished 
them  with  means  to  attain  it.  For  this  end  he 
offers  the  influence  of  his  Holy  Spirit  to  those  who 
earnestly  seek  it.  That  high  degree  of  holiness, 
also,  which  is  required,  is  to  be  the  result  of  a 
long-continued  progress.  The  strength  of  mature 
age  cannot  be  expected  in  an  infant,  nor  the  per- 
fection of  holiness  in  the  infancy  of  the  spiritual 
life.  The  Christian  is  one  who  makes  a  constant 
progi'ess  from  grace  to  grace.  He  counts  not 
himself  to  have  apprehended;  but,  forgetting 
those  things  which  are  behind,  he  reaches  forth 
to  those  which  are  before,  and  presses  toward 
the  mark  for  the  prize  of  his  high  calling  in  Christ 
Jesus." 

And  though  infirmity  still  cleaves  to  human 
nature,  and  corruption  defiles  its  best  intentions, 
yet,  through  the  atonement  of  Christ,  there  is  no 
condemnation  to  them  that  are  in  Christ  Jesus." 
It  is  peculiar  to  Christianity,  that,  though  it  re- 
quires holiness,  it  yet  dispenses  pardon ;  that, 


REGENERATION  AND  OTHER  DOCTRINES.  263 

although  it  allows  not  insincerity,  it  yet  shews 
compassion  to  the  penitent  sinner.  "  If  any  man 
sin,  we  have  an  Advocate  with  the  Father,  Jesus 
Christ  the  righteous,  and  he  is  the  propitiation 
for  our  sins."  It  is  peculiar  to  Christianity,  that 
the  believer  may  know  the  extent  of  his  defici- 
encies, see  his  extreme  unworthiness,  be  filled 
with  shame  on  account  of  his  sin,  and  yet  abound 
in  joy  and  peace  in  believing.  Thus  in  every 
respect  Christianity  bears  the  image  of  its  great 
Parent ;  spotless  and  pure,  yet  at  the  same  time 
mild  and  gracious  ;  too  righteous  to  admit  of 
wilful  depravity,  yet  too  merciful  not  to  admit 
repentance,  and  provide  salvation  for  those  that 
repent  and  believe. 

Such,  then,  is  Christianity  ;  a  lovely  copy  of  the 
goodness,  mildness,  purity,  and  excellence  of  the 
Divine  Nature.  Christ,  its  author,  displayed  in 
his  own  character  the  glory  of  the  Father,  full  of 
grace  and  truth ;  and  it  was  his  intention  to  impart 
to  all  his  disciples  his  own  resemblance  and  image. 
What  manner  of  persons,  then,  should  Christians 
be,  in  all  holy  and  godly  conversation  ?  But,  alas  1 
what  must  we  say  to  those  Christians  who  are 
living  in  the  world  as  if  they  were  of  the  world  ; 
who,  instead  of  considering  themselves  as  pilgrims 
and  strangers  on  earth,  who  have  no  abiding  city 
here,  set  up  their  rest  in  this  life,  are  immersed  in 
earthly  things,  are  making  no  moral  improvement, 
are  strangers  to  earnest  prayer,  to  a  holy  temper 
of  mind,  to  a  conformity  to  the  will  of  God  :  who, 
in  short,  are  Christians  only  in  the  name  and  form 
of  worship,  while  their  spirit,  temper,  maxims, 
views,  and  conduct,  are  just  the  same  as  if  Chris- 


264  ON'  THE  CONNECTION,  &C. 

tianity  had  not  been  revealed  ?    Alas  !  what  can 
we  say  of  such,  but  that  they  have  a  name  to  live, 
and  are  dead  ?    For  w^here  is  that  personal  holi- 
ness, that  purity  of  heart,  which  the  Gospel  re- 
quires ?    They  want  the  very  essential  character 
which  alone  constitutes  the  title  to  Christianity. 
A  lifeless,  nominal  Christianity,  has  been  the 
great  evil  of  the  world ;  nor  can  any  general  or 
solid  reformation  take  place  till  the  distinction 
between  real  and  pretended  Christianity  is  clearly 
understood  :  till  the  genius  and  character  of  the 
Gospel  is  studied,  and  the  power,  rather  than  the 
form,  of  godliness  becomes  the  object  of  our  desire. 
This  great  and  fundamental  distinction,  the  doc- 
trine of  regeneration  is  well  calculated  to  explain. 
It  alarms  the  careless  sinner,  and  confounds  the 
self-deceiver :  it  allow  s  of  no  sin,  nor  permits  the 
absence  of  any  virtue.    Its  immediate  tendency 
is  to  put  an  effectual  stop  to  every  evil  w^ay,  to 
administer  a  thorough  cure  to  spiritual  diseases, 
and  to  form  and  fashion  us  after  the  image  of 
Christ.    Such  are  its  practical  effects;  nor  can 
the  danger  of  neglecting  it  be  described  in  more 
awful  terms  than  the  great  Judge  of  the  quick  and 
dead  has  used  in  the  words  of  my  text :  Verily, 
verily,  I  say  unto  you,  Except  a  man  be  bom 
again  he  cannot  see  the  kingdom  of  God.'* 


265 


SERMON  XVIII. 

ON  JUSTIFICATION. 
EPHES.  ii.  8 — 10. 

By  grace  are  ye  saved,  through  faith ;  and  that  not  of 
yourselves;  it  is  the  gift  of  God,  Not  of  works, 
lest  any  tnan  should  boast.  For  we  are  his  work- 
manship, created  in  Christ  Jesus  unto  good  works, 
which  God  hath  before  ordained  that  we  should  walk 
in  them. 

When  it  is  said  that  salvation  depends  on  our 
faith,  and  not  on  our  works,  a  very  strong  objec 
tion  will  immediately  suggest  itself : — What, 
then !  are  good  works  of  no  avail  to  salvation  ? 
Do  the  righteous,  by  their  holy  and  excellent 
lives,  establish  no  better  claim  to  heaven  than 
the  profligate  and  profane  ?  Is  not  this  repugnant 
to  common  sense  ?  Is  it  not  contrary  to  all  our 
ideas  of  the  justice  and  righteousness  of  God? 
Is  it  not  a  doctrine  dangerous  to  the  interests  of 
morality,  depreciating  the  value  of  a  good  life, 
and  encouraging  the  wicked  presumptuously  to 
expect  salvation  in  opposition  to  the  many  plain 
declarations  of  Scripture?"  Such  are  the  ob- 
jections which  unavoidably  force  themselves 
upon  the  mind,  and  which,  without  doubt,  would 
be  of  the  greatest  weight,  if  they  were  founded 
upon  a  correct  statement  of  this  doctrine. 


266 


ON  JUSTIFICATION. 


No  truth,  I  conceive,  can  be  more  just  in  itself, 
more  consonant  to  reason,  and  more  fully  esta- 
blished in  Scripture,  than  that  without  holiness 
no  man  shall  see  God."  The  uniform  tendency 
of  revelation  is  to  inculcate  purity  and  righteous- 
ness. The  grace  of  God  that  bringeth  salvation 
hath  appeared  to  all  men,  teaching  us,  that, 
denying  ungodliness  and  v^orldly  lusts,  we  should 
live  soberly,  righteously,  and  godly  in  this  present 
world."  At  the  day  of  judgment,  the  righteous 
will  be  admitted  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven ; 
and  the  wicked  will  be  shut  up  in  outer  dark- 
ness, to  dwell  with  the  devil  and  his  angels  for 
ever.  Jesus  Christ  gave  himself  for  us,  that 
he  might  redeem  us  from  all  iniquity,  and  purify 
unto  himself  a  peculiar  people,  zealous  of  good 
works." 

If,  then,  there  appear  to  be  assertions  in 
Scripture  inconsistent  with  these  declarations; 
which  either  represent  good  works  as  unnecessary, 
or  depreciate  their  value ;  such  assertions  must 
be  understood  in  a  qualified  sense,  or  at  least 
must  be  explained  so  as  to  accord  with  the  de- 
clarations of  an  apparently  opposite  kind  :  for 
Scripture  cannot  contradict  itself,  but  must  speak 
a  uniform  and  consistent  language.  I  conceive, 
however,  that  nothing  is  necessary,  beyond  a 
clear  and  just  statement  of  the  doctrine  of  salva- 
tion by  faith,  to  shew  that  it  is  perfectly  con- 
sistent with  the  strong  assertions  of  the  inspired 
writers  respecting  the  necessity  of  holiness  and 
good  works.  For  this  purpose,  I  shall  endea- 
vour to  lay  before  you  a  brief  explanation  of  this 
doctrine. 


ON  JUSTIFICATION. 


267 


The  Eleventh  Article  of  our  Church  affirms, 
that  "  we  are  accounted  righteous  before  God 
only  for  the  merit  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus 
Christ,  by  faith,  and  not  for  our  own  works  or 
deservings.  Wherefore,  that  we  are  justified  by 
faith  only,  is  a  most  wholesome  doctrine,  and  very 
full  of  comfort,  as  more  largely  is  expressed  in 
the  Homily  of  Justification." 

I  quote  the  words  of  our  venerable  Church, 
not  merely  because  they  explain  her  doctrine — 
though  that  consideration  ought  to  have  the 
greatest  weight  with  us — but  because,  as  forming 
an  article  of  our  national  faith,  they  will  neces- 
sarily have  more  authority  than  the  opinion  of 
any  individual,  and  because  they  contain  a  sum- 
mary of  the  faith  professed  by  every  Protestant 
Church  at  the  period  of  the  Reformation.  In- 
deed, the  doctrine  of  justification  by  faith  alone 
was  one  of  the  fundamental  points  in  which  the 
Reformers  differed  from  the  Church  of  Rome; 
and  so  important  was  it  esteemed,  that  it  was 
termed,  by  Luther,  the  article  according  to  the 
belief  or  denial  of  which  a  church  might  be  said 
to  stand  or  fall. 

If  the  holy  Scriptures  had  not  spoken  plainly 
and  decisively  on  this  subject,  the  doctrine  in 
question  would  scarcely  have  been  asserted  thus 
strongly  by  the  reformed  churches.  But  these 
assertions  are  amply  justified,  both  by  the  express 
language  of  the  Revelation,  and  by  the  whole  ana- 
logy of  the  Christian  faith. 

The  language  addressed  by  St.  Paul  to  the 
Ephesians,  is  very  strong  :  By  grace  are  ye 
saved,  through  faith :  and  that  not  of  yourselves ; 


ON  JUSTIFICATION. 

it  is  the  gift  of  God  :  not  of  works,  lest  any  man 
should  boast."    Nor  was  the  statement  of  the 
same  Apostle  to  the  Galatians  less  remarkable : 
"  We,  who  are  Jews  by  nature,  and  not  sinners  of 
the  Gentiles,  knowing  that  a  man  is  not  justified 
by  the  works  of  the  law,  but  by  the  faith  of  Jesus 
Christ ;  even  we  have  believed  in  Jesus  Christ, 
that  we  might  be  justified  by  the  faith  of  Christ, 
and  not  by  the  works  of  the  law;  for  by  the 
works  of  the  law  shall  no  flesh  be  justified."  To 
the  Philippians  he  wrote  :  ''I  count  all  things 
but  loss  for  the  excellency  of  the  knowledge  of 
Christ  Jesus  my  Lord :  for  whom  I  have  suffered 
the  loss  of  all  things,  and  do  count  them  but 
dung,  that  I  may  win  Christ,  and  be  found  in 
him ;  not  having  mine  own  righteousness,  which  is 
of  the  law,  but  that  which  is  through  the  faith  of 
Christ,  the  righteousness  which  is  of  God  by 
faith."    He  instructs  the  Romans,  that  **  by  the 
deeds  of  the  law  there  shall  no  flesh  be  justified 
in  the  sight  of  God  ;  for  by  the  law  is  the  know- 
ledge of  sin.    But  now  the  righteousness  of  God 
without  the  law  is  manifested,  being  witnessed 
by  the  law  and  the  prophets;  even  the  righteous- 
ness of  God,  which  is  by  faith  of  Jesus  Christ 
unto  all  and  upon  all  them  that  believe  :  for  there 
is  no  difl*erence,  for  all  have  sinned  and  come 
short  of  the  glory  of  God:  being  justified  freely 
by  his  grace,  through  the  redemption  that  is  in 
Christ  Jesus." 

These  passages  are  strong  and  decisive,  and 
their  meaning  seems  too  obvious  for  dispute  or 
uncertainty.  Yet  we  may  be  still  more  clearly 
satisfied  that  we  have  not  misunderstood  them, 


ON  JUSTIFICATION. 


269 


when  we  consider  the  other  evidence,  afforded  by 
St.  Paul's  Epistles,  that  the  opinions  of  our  own 
Church  on  this  subject  were  held  by  the  Church 
of  Christ  in  the  time  of  the  Apostles.  The  ob- 
jection which  is  now  so  frequently  urged  against 
this  doctrine,  was  not  less  forcibly  advanced 
when  it  was  first  promulgated.  **We  be  slan- 
derously reported,"  says  the  Apostle  ;  and 
some  affirm  that  we  say,  Let  us  do  evil,  that 
good  may  come."  It  is  evident,  therefore,  that 
the  doctrine  which  the  Apostles  preached  seemed 
at  first  sight  to  afford  some  ground  for  the  impu- 
tation made  by  the  enemies  of  Christianity,  who, 
either  through  error  or  malignity,  insisted  that  it 
tended  to  promote  licentiousness.  For  had  the 
Apostles  preached  onli^  the  necessity  of  virtue 
and  a  holy  life  as  the  qualifications  for  heaven, 
with  what  colour  of  reason,  or  under  what  pre- 
tence, could  any  persons  have  charged  them  with 
teaching  a  doctrine  which  encouraged  sin  ?  It  is 
still  more  remarkable,  that  St.  Paul  himself  per- 
ceived that  such  an  imputation  might  be  made 
with  at  least  some  degree  of  plausibility,  and 
therefore  anticipated  and  fully  repelled  it.  In 
the  sixth  chapter  of  his  Epistle  to  the  Romans, 
after  having  stated  the  doctrine  with  great  preci- 
sion, he  proceeds  immediately  to  inquire  what 
would  be  the  first  and  chief  objection  to  which  it 
would  be  open.  What  shall  we  say,  then  ? 
Shall  we  continue  in  sin,  that  grace  may  abound  ?  " 
And  again ;  Shall  we  sin  because  we  are  not 
under  the  law,  but  under  grace  ?  "  Having  thus 
proposed  the  difficulty,  he  then  satisfactorily  re- 
moves it,  by  shewing  that  the  Gospel  afforded  no 


270 


ON  JUSTIFICATION. 


licence  for  continuing  in  guilt ;  but,  on  the  con- 
trary, exacted  in  the  strongest  manner  the  mor- 
tification of  sin,  while  it  provided  a  deliverance 
from  its  power.  But  at  present  it  is  more  material 
to  observe,  that  by  bringing  forward  the  objection 
prominently,  and  by  shewing  that  it  was  founded 
on  an  erroneous  and  imperfect  view  of  the  Go- 
spel, it  is  plainly  implied  that  there  was  in  the 
doctrines  of  Christianity  something  which  did 
give  some  plausible  countenance  and  colour  to 
such  a  conclusion. 

These  passages,  selected  from  many  more  of  a 
similar  kind,  are  quite  sufficient  to  prove,  that  in 
the  justification  of  man  his  good  works  are  in 
some  sense  entirely  devoid  of  any  efficacy.  But 
single  expressions,  however  strong,  may  be  mis- 
understood ;  and  it  is  more  satisfactory,  if  the 
truth  of  any  disputed  doctrine  can  be  confirmed 
by  shewing  that  it  does  not  rest  on  solitary  or  in- 
sulated passages,  but  is  embodied  into  the  very 
fabric  of  Christianity,  and  made  a  component 
part  of  its  general  system.  Now  such  a  proof 
may,  in  the  present  case,  be  fairly  drawn  from 
that  doctrine  which  is  confessedly  peculiar  to 
Christianity,  which  is  interwoven  into  its  very 
substance,  and  is  held  forth  in  every  page  of  its 
records:  I  mean,  that  of  Jesus  Christ  having  come 
into  the  world  to  be  the  Saviour  of  sinners.  Now, 
if  we  examine  that  fact  carefully,  we  shall  find 
that  it  necessarily  supposes  and  implies  the  truth 
of  the  doctrine  of  justification  by  faith  alone.  For 
if  a  Saviour  is  appointed,  for  whom  is  he  appoint^ 
ed?  Evidently  for  those  who  cannot  deliver  them- 
selves from  destruction.    "  They  that  be  whole 


ON  JUSTIFICATION. 


271 


need  not  a  physician,  but  they  that  are  sick." 

The  Son  of  man  is  come  to  seek  and  to  save  that 
which  was  lost.  '  The  death  of  Christ  was  to  be 
a  sacrifice,  a  propitiation  for  sin :  His  blood  was 
to  cleanse  us  from  all  unrighteousness.  Now  what 
do  these  expressions  imply,  but  that  men  are  to 
be  saved,  not  as  meriting  heaven  by  their  own 
innocence  or  virtue,  but  as  sinners  rescued  by  a 
Saviour  from  destruction  ?  The  claim  of  salva- 
tion by  our  works,  is  indeed  utterly  incompatible 
with  the  hope  of  salvation  through  Jesus  Christ. 
In  applying  to  a  Saviour,  we  in  effect  renounce 
the  plea  of  innocence ;  we  confess  the  charge  of 
guilt ;  we  ask  for  pardon  and  mercy.  Thus,  there 
are  two  different  systems  of  salvation.  Of  one, 
our  own  virtue  is  the  basis  :  the  foundation  of  the 
other  is  faith  in  Christ.  He  who  embraces  the 
first,  pleads  his  innocence ;  he  who  trusts  to  the 
latter,  confesses  his  guilt.  In  the  former  of  these 
characters,  there  is  a  self-satisfaction ;  in  the  other, 
a  spirit  of  humiliation  and  contrition.  The  one 
claims  reward  ;  the  other  sues  for  pardon.  The 
one  depends  upon  himself;  the  other  relies  upon 
a  Saviour  s  death  and  intercession  on  his  behalf. 
The  one  appeals  to  God's  justice ;  the  other  throws 
himself  upon  his  mercy.  The  one  claims  heaven 
as  a  right ;  the  other  asks  it  as  a  gift,  of  which  he 
confesses  himself  to  be  unworthy.  The  one  boasts 
of  his  integrity ;  the  other  is  deeply  humbled  for 
his  transgression.  The  one  trusts  to  his  own  merits; 
the  other  renounces  his  own  righteousness,  con- 
fesses himself  a  guilty  sinner,  and  seeks  for  salva- 
tion through  faith  in  Christ  Jesus.  Hence  it  is 
evident,  that  the  system  which  requires  faith  in 


272 


ON  JUSTIFICATION. 


Christ,  and  therefore  renounces  the  merit  of  our 
own  obedience,  may  be  easily  misunderstood  or 
misrepresented  as  undervaluing  good  works,  be- 
cause it  does  not  make  them  the  ground  of  our 
hopes  of  salvation. 

All  that  is  said,  then,  of  the  inefficacy  of  good 
works  for  salvation,  is  said  with  reference  only  to 
our  justification  before  God.  If  we  are  forbidden 
to  plead  our  good  works  as  our  recommendation 
to  his  favour,  it  is  for  this  valid  reason,  that  no 
man  living  can  offer  to  the  pure  and  holy  God — 
to  Him  in  whose  sight  even  the  heavens  are  un- 
clean, and  who  chargeth  his  angels  with  folly — 
such  a  degree  of  righteousness  as  he  can  accept. 
It  is  ignorance  of  ourselves,  of  the  purity  of  the 
law,  and  of  the  holiness  of  the  nature  of  God, 
which  alone  could  lead  us  to  exalt  ourselves  in 
his  presence.  We  are  sinners  in  his  sight ;  and  he 
therefore  requires  that  he  should  be  saved  as 
sinners  ;  that  we  should  acknowledge  our  guilt ; 
that  we  should  feel  contrition  for  our  sins ;  and 
that  we  should  humbly  ask  for  forgiveness  for  the 
sake  of  his  Son,  and  not  assert  a  title  to  heaven 
as  a  right. 

It  has  often  appeared  to  me  a  very  striking  proof 
of  the  Divine  original  of  Christianity,  that  it  has 
exhibited  a  plan  of  salvation  so  very  different  from 
what  it  is  probable  man  would  have  devised,  which, 
however,  when  fully  understood,  is  so  perfectly 
consonant  to  reason  and  to  truth ;  a  plan  which  is 
exactly  adapted  to  the  true  state  of  man,  and  which 
most  highly  exalts  the  attributes  of  God.  The 
common  sense  of  mankind  seems  naturally  to  lead 
them  to  think,  that  we  must  obtain  the  favour  and 


ON  JUSTIFICATION. 


273 


avert  the  displeasure  of  God  by  a  life  of  devo- 
tion and  innocence.    This  opinion  seems  so  ob- 
viously just,  and  so  consonant  to  the  feelings  of 
mankind,  that  it  is  scarcely  to  be  supposed,  that 
if  men  had  invented  a  system  of  religion,  and 
particularly  if  good  men  had  been  its  authors,  it 
would  not  have  been  founded  upon  this  principle. 
A  system,  however,  is  produced,  which  is  directly 
contrary  to  this  fundamental  assumption,  and 
which  is  built  upon  the  opposite  supposition  of 
the  inefficacy  of  man's  righteousness  to  recom- 
mend him  to  the  Divine  favour.    Let  us,  then, 
examine  this  system.   In  what  light  does  it  con- 
sider man  ?  In  what  light  does  it  represent  God  ? 
Does  it  exhibit  views  of  the  condition  of  man  and 
the  character  of  the  Deity,  which,  when  they  are 
properly  understood,  are  consistent  with  truth 
and  reason  ?    With  respect  to  man,  it  represents 
him  as  a  sinner.    It  declares,  that  all  mankind 
have  sinned  and  come  short  of  the  glory  of  God. 
Let  the  truth  of  this  declaration  be  decided  by  an 
appeal  to  every  man's  conscience.    Who  can  lay 
his  hand  upon  his  heart,  and  say  he  has  never 
done  wrong  ;  that  he  is  not  chargeable  with  sin  ? 
Let  its  truth  be  examined  by  experience.  Look 
at  the  state  of  the  world,  and  judge  whether  all 
men  have  not  been  chargeable  with  guilt  in  the 
sight  of  God.  These  statements  of  the  inefficacy 
of  human  merit  in  obtaining  the  favour  of  God, 
clearly  indicate  also  their  Divine  original,  by  the 
very  sublimity  of  the  ideas  which  they  convey  of 
his  holiness.    There  must  be  an  infinity  in  every 
Divine  attribute ;  and  this  system  exalts  the  holi- 
ness of  God  to  an  infinite  degree.    It  represents 

VOL.  II.  T 


•274 


ox  JUSTIFICATION. 


the  purity  of  his  nature  to  be  such,  that  he  can 
accept  nothing  but  what  is  absolutely  perfect.  He 
considers  all  men  as  sinners,  and  the  least  taint  of 
sin  is  odious  in  his  sight.  There  may  be,  indeed, 
a  great  difference  between  one  man  and  another : 
one  may  be  comparatively  righteous,  and  another 
comparatively  wicked :  but  before  the  infinitely 
holy  God,  all  these  shades  of  difference  vanish ; 
all  are  in  his  sight  unclean.  In  his  presence  all 
are  guilty  sinners.  The  very  best  man  living  has  to 
answer  at  the  judgment-seat  of  God  for  innume- 
rable transgressions.  Yet  He  has  appointed  a  way 
in  which  men,  although  thus  sinful  and  impure, 
may  be  saved.  He  therefore  forbids  the  plea  of 
righteousness,  and  requires  humiliation  in  all  his 
creatures,  that  every  mouth  may  be  stopped, 
and  all  the  world  may  become  guilty  before  God." 
How  sublime  is  this  representation  of  the  Divine 
purity !  How  clearly  does  it  prove  itself  to  be 
consonant  to  the  Majesty  of  Infinite  Holiness  ! — 
But  this  view  of  the  purity  of  the  INIost  High  also 
tends  to  glorify  and  illustrate  another  attribute  of 
the  Divine  character — his  infinite  Goodness.  For 
although  God  could  not  consider  man  in  any 
other  light  than  as  guilty  and  sinful,  yet  such 
was  his  infinite  goodness,  that  he  sent  his  only- 
begotten  Son  upon  earth  to  take  upon  him  their 
nature,  and  to  make  atonement  for  them  by  his 
death  on  the  cross ;  that  thus  he  might  save, 
through  him,  those  who  in  his  holy  eyes  were  the 
objects  of  displeasure  and  aversion,  and  whom  he 
could  not  save  on  their  own  account:  that  thus 
he  might  be  just,  and  the  justifier  of  him  which 
believeth  in  Jesus."    Such  a  view  of  the  system 


ON  JUSTIFICATION. 


275 


of  salvation  appears,  in  my  own  mind,  so  honour- 
able to  God,  and  so  plainly  carries  with  it  the  seal 
and  impress  of  Divine  holiness  and  majesty,  that 
I  cannot  but  assent  to  it  as  coming  from  God, 
both  on  account  of  the  honour  which  it  pays 
to  him,  and  the  sublime  views  it  exhibits  of  the 
Divine  character. 

This  account  of  the^  nature  of  salvation  will 
tend  to  dissipate  the  obscurity  which  might  seem 
to  prevail,  respecting  the  doctrine  of  the  insuffi- 
ciency of  our  own  works  to  make  atonement  for 
our  sins ;  as  well  as  to  reconcile  any  apparent 
contradiction  between  that  doctrine  and  the  ge- 
neral obligations  of  Christians  to  cultivate  holiness 
and  obedience  to  God.  A  holy  and  righteous  life 
is  not  only  recommended,  but  required,  in  every 
page  of  Scripture.  It  was  the  design  of  every 
Prophet,  and  of  every  Apostle,  to  inculcate  and 
to  sanction  such  a  life  in  the  strongest  and  most 
effectual  manner.  It  was  the  very  end  of  the 
Gospel  to  produce  it.  The  disciples  of  Christ 
are  to  be  a  holy  generation,  distinguished  by 
their  purity  and  their  good  works  from  the  rest 
of  mankind.  But  in  their  application  to  God  for 
pardon,  they  are  to  renounce  all  high  ideas  of 
their  own  character  ;  they  are  to  humble  them- 
selves before  him,  and  to  sue  for  forgiveness  as 
sinners  ;  for  in  his  sight  they  are  guilty  and  mi- 
serable, and  laden  with  iniquities.  And,  in  truth, 
their  own  humility,  and  their  just  views  of  the 
perfection  of  the  law  of  God,  will  lead  them  to  see 
themselves  as  indeed  sinners  in  his  presence.  A 
lively  sense  of  their  own  deficiencies  (which  will 
be  always  more  lively  in  proportion  as  they  in- 

T  2 


276 


ON  JUSTIFICATION. 


crease  in  the  love  of  righteousness  and  in  know- 
ledge of  the  extent  of  the  obedience  they  owe  to 
God)  will  prevent  their  ever  thinking  of  themselves 
in  any  other  light  than  as  unworthy  sinners.  They 
will  therefore  never  extol  themselves ;  they  will 
never  magnify  the  merit  of  their  own  obedience  ; 
they  will  abhor  every  proud  conceit  of  their  own 
virtue ;  they  will,  with  the  Publican,  rather  cry, 

God  be  merciful  to  me  a  sinner ! "  than  with  the 
Pharisee,  God,  I  thank  thee  that  I  am  not  as 
other  men  are."  Both  their  knowledge  of  them- 
selves and  their  knowledge  of  God  will  inculcate 
lowliness  of  heart,  and  will  teach  them  to  ascribe 
it  to  the  grace  and  mercy  of  God  if  they  are  finally 
made  partakers  of  his  salvation. 

Thus  understood,  the  doctrine  of  salvation  by 
faith  alone  contains  in  it  nothing  unreasonable,  and 
nothing  which  tends  to  depreciate  the  general  im- 
portance of  good  works.  If  a  man  believes  that 
the  good  works  which  he  has  performed,  or  may 
yet  perform,  can  never  be  of  sufficient  value  to 
recommend  him,  by  their  own  intrinsic  excellence, 
to  the  favour  of  the  holiest  of  Beings,  does  he  for 
that  reason  disparage  them  ?  Does  he  consider 
them  as  worthless  ?  No :  he  acknowledges  their 
value,  while  he  laments  that  he  has  fallen  short 
of  that  excellence  which  his  very  humiliation  tends 
to  exalt.  He  still  looks  upon  them  as  useful  and 
necessary  in  every  view,  except  as  affording  a 
ground  of  his  justification  before  God.  He  sees 
that  they  are  necessary,  because  God  requires 
holiness  in  all  that  approach  him ;  and  he  there- 
fore concludes,  that,  though  obedience  to  the 
Moral  Law  cannot  establish  for  man  a  title  to 


ON  JUSTIFICATION. 


277 


heaven,  it  may  yet  be  equally  necessary  for  the 
completion  of  other  purposes  in  the  Divine  eco- 
nomy. Although  it  is  not  the  basis  of  our  justi- 
fication, it  may,  notwithstanding  this,  be  neither 
the  less  necessary  nor  the  less  important.  The 
ground  only,  on  which  it  is  necessary,  and  not 
the  necessity  itself,  is  here  in  question. 

The  reasons  which  shew  the  necessity  of  righte- 
ousness and  good  works  are  innumerable,  and 
of  the  utmost  weight.  They  are  truly  acceptable 
to  God  :  without  them  none  can  be  admitted 
into  his  kingdom.  They  qualify  us  for  heaven, 
although  they  do  not  form  the  ground  of  our  ad- 
mission into  it.  They  honour  God,  while  the 
want  of  them  dishonours  his  holy  Name.  They 
are  the  necessary  fruits  of  a  true  faith ;  for,  as  the 
Twelfth  Article  of  our  Church  declares,  Albeit 
that  good  works,  which  are  the  fruits  of  faith, 
and  follow  after  justification,  cannot  put  away 
our  sins  and  endure  the  severity  of  God's  judg- 
ment, yet  are  they  pleasing  and  acceptable  to 
God  in  Christ,  and  do  spring  out  necessarily  of 
a  true  and  lively  faith,  insomuch  that  by  them  a 
lively  faith  may  be  as  evidently  known,  as  a  tree 
discerned  by  the  fruits."  They  are  the  guards 
of  our  peace ;  for  we  deceive  ourselves,  if  while 
we  continue  in  sin,  or  do  not  abound  in  the  fruits 
of  righteousness,  we  enjoy  any  religious  consola- 
tion. They  are  of  the  greatest  utility  to  our 
fellow-creatures,  as  well  as  the  evidences  to  them 
of  the  sincerity  of  our  faith.  They  are  the  objects 
of  every  real  Christian  s  solicitude,  desire,  and 
hope.  It  is  his  most  ardent  wish  and  incessant 
endeavour  to  be  holy,  even  as  his  Father  which 


278 


ON  JUSTIFICATION. 


is  in  heaven  is  holy.  He  hates  and  abhors  sin  as 
the  greatest  of  evils.  It  is  his  grief  and  burden, 
the  cause  of  all  his  suffering,  and  all  his  sorrow ; 
and  it  is  his  one  great  object  in  life,  through  the 
grace  and  power  of  Christ,  to  be  delivered  from 
the  corruptions  that  are  in  the  world  through  lust, 
and  to  be  made  partaker  of  a  Divine  nature.  But 
in  all  this,  the  principle  from  which  he  acts  is  the 
desire  to  please  and  serve  God,  from  a  grateful 
sense  of  the  value  of  Christ's  salvation ;  and  not  a 
blind  hope  to  present  to  God  such  an  obedience 
as  he  may  justly  esteem  entitled  to  the  reward 
of  heaven.  In  a  word,  good  works  are  not  so 
valued  by  a  real  servant  of  God  as  to  be  in  his 
mind  inconsistent  with  the  glor}^  of  Christ  as  a 
Saviour,  the  holiness  of  God  as  a  Judge,  the 
purity  of  his  law,  or  the  infirmity  of  man  as  a 
sinful  fallen  creature.  Wherever  there  is  a  hum- 
ble mind,  and  a  real  penitence  for  sin,  there  good 
works  will  be  considered  with  the  highest  honour, 
though  they  will  not  be  substituted  in  the  place 
of  Christ  as  a  Saviour. 

That  this  is  the  view  inculcated  in  my  text, 
will  appear  from  the  explanation  of  it  in  detail. 

By  grace  are  ye  saved:"'  by  an  act  of  the 
mercy  of  God,  not  from  a  claim  upon  his  justice, 
as  though  they  who  obtain  this  salvation  were 
righteous  and  deserving  of  heaven. — Through 
faith ; "  that  is,  while  we  are  saved  by  Divine 
grace  alone,  it  is  faith  which  is  the  instrument  of 
salvation.  Faith  humbly  relies  upon  Christ  as 
the  Redeemer.  Faith  acknowledges  the  value  of 
his  death,  and  the  efficacy  of  his  intercession. 
Faith  ascribes  all  our  salvation  to  him,  giving 


ON  JUSTIFICATION. 


279 


glory  and  honour  to  him  as  our  only  Saviour. 
Faith  renounces  self,  that  God  and  that  Christ 
maybe  exalted. — "  And  that  not  of  yourselves,  it 
is  the  gift  of  God."  The  w^ords  and  that"  have 
been  differently  understood.  Some  commenta- 
tors make  them  relate  to  faith,  and  understand 
St.  Paul  to  say,  that  even  that  faith"  is  not  of 
ourselves.  Others  interpret  them  as  relating  to 
the  whole  of  our  salvation,  which  the  grammatical 
construction  of  the  original  words  seems  rather 
to  favour.  It  is  immaterial  which  interpretation 
is  preferred.  Either  of  them  shews  the  mind  of 
the  Apostle  to  be  intent  upon  proving  that  we 
are  hot  to  be  saved  by  our  own  merit  or  power. 
Every  thing  which  contributes  to  our  salvation, 
even  our  faith,  is  humbly  to  be  ascribed  to  the 
power  and  grace  of  God. — Not  of  works,  lest 
any  man  should  boast."  Salvation  is  not  to  be 
considered  as  procured  in  any  measure  by  the 
merit  of  our  own  works  ;  and  for  this  very  im- 
portant reason,  that  man  may  not  be  able  to  arro- 
gate to  himself  any  title  to  reward  before  God. 
Salvation  must  be  an  act  of  God's  mercy,  for 
which  man  must  be  ever  deeply  under  a  sense 
of  obligation  to  him,  and  for  which  he  must 
ascribe  praise  to  God  throughout  eternity.  But 
it  would  be  inconsistent  with  such  a  state  of 
heart,  if  man  should  attribute  any  thing  to  him- 
self. We  must  be  laid  prostrate  before  God  as 
sinners,  and  saved  in  that  posture  of  humiliation. 

Boasting,"  says  the  Apostle,  in  another  place, 
''is  excluded.  By  what  law?  Of  works  ?  Nay, 
but  by  the  law  of  faith." 

If  men  exalt  a  good  life  in  their  own  esteem. 


280 


ON  JUSTIFICATION. 


SO  as  to  expect  their  salvation  from  it,  they  may 
suppose,  that,  even  should  their  opinion  be  erro- 
neous, their  mistake  would  be  harmless  and  un- 
important.   But  let  them  be  assured,  that  such 
an  expectation  v^ill  be  not  less  dangerous  than 
deceitful :  it  v^ill  be  dangerous,  because  it  is  in- 
consistent with  that  humiliation  which  is  indis- 
pensably requisite  in  sinners,  with  that  frame 
and  temper  of  mind  which  are  necessary  in  the 
system   of  salvation.     If  Christ  be  the  only 
Saviour  of  the  world  ;  if  the  song  of  heaven  be. 
Worthy  is  the  Lamb  that  was  slain  to  receive 
power,  and  riches,  and  wisdom,  and  strength, 
and  honour,  and  glory,  and  blessing;  for  thou 
wast  slain,  and  hast  redeemed  us  to  God  by  thy 
blood ; "  then  should  the  same  acknowledgment 
be  made  by  his  redeemed  people  on  earth,  and 
they  also  should  unite  together  in  ascribing  their 
whole  salvation  to  him.    But  self-righteousness, 
or  boasting,  is  inconsistent  with  such  an  acknow- 
ledgment.   Whatever  good  works  are  performed 
by  the  people  of  God,  are  the  effect  of  their  faith 
in  Christ.    They  first  approached  him  as  penitent 
sinners,  confessing  their  guilt  and  imploring  his 
mercy.    Having  redeemed  them  from  the  curse 
of  the  Law,  he  imparted  to  them  the  grace  of  his 
Holy  Spirit,  to  form  and  fashion  their  souls  anew, 
after  his  own  image ;  to  create  in  them  all  holy 
affections  and  dispositions,  to  excite  the  love  of 
holiness  and  the  practice  of  it.    They  "are  his 
workmanship  " — the  fruits  of  their  faith,  no  less 
than  their  redemption,   are  his  own  gracious 
work — they  are  by  him    created  in  Christ  Jesus 
unto  good  works,  which  God  hath  before  ordained 


ON  JUSTIFICATION. 


281 


that  thev  should  walk  in  them."  Their  deliver- 
ance  from  sin,  no  less  than  their  redemption  from 
death,  are  entirely  and  exclusively  the  vrork  of 
God  the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Spirit.  Thus, 
therefore,  while  the  Christian  scheme  exalts  the 
value  and  excellence  of  good  works,  and  enjoins 
them  by  the  most  solemn  sanctions,  it  does  not 
admit  that  they  are  in  any  sense  meritorious.  It 
at  once  glorifies  God,  and  humbles  and  sanctifies 
man. 

From  this  view  of  the  inefficacy  of  our  holiest 
actions  to  work  out  our  salvation,  let  us  learn  to 
draw  near  to  God  in  a  spirit  of  the  deepest 
humility.  Before  him  let  us  renounce  our  own 
merit,  looking  only  to  his  mercy,  and  to  the  in- 
tercession of  Christ.  But  God  forbid  that  these 
considerations  should  lessen  our  estimation  of 
practical  holiness  and  piety  !  We  must  press  after 
them  with  the  earnestness  of  men  who  know  that 
they  must  perish  unless  they  become  holy.  We 
must  hunger  and  thirst  after  righteousness.  Till 
we  '*walk  with  God"  in  a  holy  life,  we  must 
never  cease  to  distrust  our  state  before  him. 
Thus  pursuing  good  works  with  a  right  spirit 
and  for  the  right  end,  seeking  them  in  the 
strength  of  Christ,  desiring  them  as  the  evidences 
and  the  fruits  of  faith  in  him,  acting  from  a  prin- 
ciple of  attachment  to  him,  and  aiming  to  pro- 
mote his  glory,  we  shall  attain  the  true  Christian 
end.  We  shall  produce  the  fruits  of  righteous- 
ness through  Jesus  Christ,  to  the  glory  and  praise 
of  God." 


282 


SERMON  XIX. 

ON  THE  NATURE  OF  TRUE  RELIGION. 
ROMANS  Xiv.  17. 

The  kingdom  of  God  is  not  meat  and  drink,  but  righte- 
ousness and  peace,  and  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost. 

Wherein  does  true  religion  consist  ?  No  in- 
quiry is  more  important  than  this ;  for  it  involves 
our  happiness,  not  only  in  the  present  life,  but  in 
that  eternal  state  into  which  we  must  soon  enter. 
Now,  independently  of  the  knowledge  of  the 
character  of  God  which  we  derive  from  the  Scrip- 
tures, it  might  reasonably  have  been  concluded, 
from  the  relation  which  he  bears  to  us  as  our 
Creator,  that  he  would  not  leave  a  subject  so 
important  to  his  creatures  in  uncertainty.  The 
most  important  truths  are  generally  the  most 
simple  and  plain ;  and  that  which  materially 
concerns  the  happiness  of  mankind,  it  seldom  re- 
quires great  attention  or  unusual  discernment  to 
discover.  Yet,  although  God  has  given  to  us  a 
revelation  to  ascertain  the  real  nature  of  religion, 
no  subject  has  been  the  occasion  of  greater 
doubt  and  controversy.  Religion  was  supposed 
by  many,  in  the  time  of  the  Apostles,  to  consist 
chiefly  in  oblations,  in  abstaining  from  the  use  of 
several  kinds  of  food,  or  from  the  touch  of  various 


ON  THE  NATURE  OF  TRUE  RELIGION.  283 


unclean  things.  Touch  not,  taste  not,  handle 
not,"  were  with  them  some  of  the  most  essential 
precepts  in  religion ;  and  it  is  in  opposition  to 
their  opinions  that  the  Apostle  declares  the 
kingdom  of  God  not  to  consist  in  meats  and 
drink — in  the  using  of  them,  or  in  the  abstaining 
from  them. 

The  most  frequent  error,  respecting  the  nature 
of  religion,  has  consisted  not  so  much  in  proposing 
something  which  is  essentially  contrary  to  it,  as 
in  selecting  a  part  of  it,  and  substituting  that 
part  for  the  whole.  No  one  ever  thought  that 
religion  consisted  in  lying,  swearing,  or  stealing. 
There  must  be  something  plausible,  something 
resembling  the  truth,  in  any  error  which  is  long 
or  widely  received.  Now,  in  fixing  upon  some 
part  of  religion,  and  magnifying  its  importance 
till  the  rest  appear  of  little  account,  there  is  a 
foundation  on  which  the  fabric  of  error  may 
rest.  In  the  case  before  us,  the  legal  oblations, 
abstinence  from  particular  kinds  of  food,  the 
observance  of  new  moons  and  sabbaths,  and  of 
various  other  rites  and  ceremonies,  had  been  or- 
dained by  God  :  they  constituted  a  part,  and 
only  a  part,  of  true  religion  under  the  Levitical 
dispensation  :  they  were  rather  means  to  religion 
than  religion  itself.  Yet,  from  an  undue  estimate 
of  the  importance  of  these  duties,  which  they 
diligently  practised,  many  of  the  Jews  were  led 
to  flatter  themselves  with  a  persuasion  of  their 
own  superior  sanctity,  though  they  neglected  the 
weightier  matters  of  the  Law — ^justice,  mercy, 
and  faith. 

Their  error,  and  the  absurdity  of  it,  we  now 


284       ON  THE  NATURE  OF  TRUE  RELIGION. 

clearly  discern.  We  perceive  that  they  had 
formed  unworthy  conceptions  of  the  character  of 
God,  who  they  imagined  would  take  pleasure  in 
vain  and  useless  ceremooies.  They  had  narrow 
notions  of  religion  itself ;  for  they  did  not  per- 
ceive that  it  consisted  in  the  reformation  of  the 
heart,  and  in  purity  of  life.  They  confounded 
the  means  with  the  end ;  not  observing  that  all 
ceremonies  are  useful  only  as  promoting  some 
further  object,  and  that  the  end  itself  must  be 
more  important  than  the  means  by  which  it  was 
to  be  pursued.  They  entertained  confused  ideas 
of  the  proportionate  value  of  duties,  unreasonably 
exalting  those  of  the  lowest  kind,  and  depreci- 
ating some  of  the  highest  value.  In  all  these 
respects  we  discover  their  gross  mistake,  and 
wonder  they  should  have  overlooked  such  obvious 
truths.  We  see  that  the  nature  of  true  religion 
resembles  that  of  its  great  Author;  that  it  glorifies 
God  and  sanctifies  man ;  that  whatever  falls  short 
of  this,  falls  short  of  religion  ;  and  that  whatever 
is  substituted  in  the  room  of  it,  be  it  even  a  part 
of  religion  itself,  ought  to  be  rejected  as  unworthy 
of  that  sacred  name. 

But  in  this,  as  in  most  other  cases,  we  are 
more  clear-sighted  in  discovering  the  errors  of 
others  than  of  ourselves.  Many,  who  condemn 
the  Jews  for  having  thought  religion  to  consist 
in  meats  and  drink,  are  themselves  condemned 
in  their  own  practice  by  the  very  principles  upon 
which  their  censure  of  the  Jews  proceeds. 

How  many,  at  present,  mistake  the  forms  of 
religion  for  religion  itself !  They  are  punctual  in 
their  attendance  at  the  house  of  God  ;  they  ab- 


ON  THE  NATURE  OF  TRUE  RELIGION.  285 


stain  from  labour  on  the  Sabbath ;  they  repeat 
with  regularity  some  forms  of  prayer  ;  and  there- 
fore they  doubt  not  of  the  genuineness  of  their 
religion.  These  are  undoubtedly  observances 
enjoined  by  God,  and  are  therefore  essential  to 
real  piety.  The  house  of  God  was  erected,  the 
Sabbath  set  apart,  and  prayer  appointed,  in  order 
that  by  those  means  man  might  obtain  the  grace 
of  God  in  the  heart.  Yet  these  outward  acts  of 
worship  constitute  the  form  only  of  religion  :  the 
power  of  it  consists  in  the  purification  of  the 
heart,  and  in  deliverance  from  evil  dispositions. 
How  many  are  constantly  at  the  house  of  God  on 
the  Sabbath,  who  through  the  week  are  fretful 
and  peevish,  worldly  and  covetous,  slothful  and 
selfish,  void  of  Christian  love,  heavenly  minded- 
ness,  and  holy  affections  !  Yet  they  observe  the 
forms  of  Christian  worship,  and  are  therefore 
satisfied  with  themselves.  The  very  religion  of 
such  men  at  once  tranquillizes  their  consciences 
and  hardens  their  hearts.  Alas  !  of  what  use  are 
the  forms  they  practise,  unless  they  produce  the 
power  of  godliness  in  the  soul  ?  That  worship 
which  does  not  erect  the  kingdom  of  God  and  the 
law  of  God  in  our  hearts,  is  in  truth  nothing 
better  than  a  mere  bodilv  exercise. 

There  are  other  persons,  of  upright  and  even  of 
pious  intentions,  who  seem  to  mistake  the  means 
of  religion  for  religion  itself.  They  are  not,  indeed, 
formalists  :  they  are  deeply  sensible  of  the  folly  of 
resting  in  the  mere  outward  acts  of  worship  ;  but 
still  they  suppose  religion  to  consist  in  habits  and 
practices  which  are  really  important  only  as  they 
are  made  subservient  to  the  growth  of  true  piety. 


286      ON  THE  NATURE  OF  TRUE  RELIGION. 

Such  persons  confine  their  views  of  religion  to 
long  and  fervent  prayer  in  public  and  in  private, 
to  the  study  of  the  word  of  God,  to  the  perusal 
of  religious  books,  and  devout  conversation  with 
Christian  friends.  In  these  things  they  are  fre- 
quently and  deeply  engaged.  And  greatly,  indeed, 
is  it  to  be  lamented,  that  these  important  duties 
have  fallen  into  so  general  a  neglect.  To  this 
cause  much  of  the  wickedness  of  the  present  day 
must  be  attributed.  Yet  while  I  admit,  in  the 
amplest  terms,  the  necessity  of  these  habits,  it 
must,  at  the  same  time,  be  observed,  that  they 
are  but  means  by  which  we  are  to  obtain  an  end ; 
and  that  the  end,  of  course,  is  more  important 
than  the  means.  Prayer  may  be  considered  either 
as  an  act  of  homage  to  God,  or  as  an  act  of  sup- 
plication to  him  for  the  grace  we  need.  In  the 
former  sense,  it  is  an  act  of  religion  ;  in  the  latter, 
but  a  means  of  receiving  grace.  Now  wherein 
does  that  grace  consist  ?  In  purity,  in  meekness, 
in  charity,  in  love  to  God  and  man,  and  in  the 
zealous  discharge  of  the  duties  of  our  station. 
Yet  how  many  imperious  masters,  idle  servants, 
unkind  husbands,  undutiful  children,  and  unfaith- 
ful friends,  are  zealous  in  their  prayers,  in  attend- 
ance upon  preaching,  in  reading  the  Scriptures, 
and  in  religious  discourse,  without,  perhaps,  a 
doubt  of  the  genuine  nature  of  the  religion  in 
which  they  confide  ! 

There  are  others,  whose  religion  consists  in  the 
belief  of  the  doctrines  of  Christianity.  They  are 
diligent  to  know  the  whole  system  of  the  Gospel, 
zealous  to  propagate  truth,  and  eager  in  combat- 
ing false  opinions.  But  why  ?  Is  it  because  they 


ON  THE  NATURE  OF  TRUE  RELIGION.  287 

have  experienced  in  their  own  souls  the  sanctify- 
ing influence  of  the  truths  they  believe  ?    Is  it 
because  they  have  themselves  become  more  hum- 
ble, meek,  patient,  gentle,  and  heavenly  minded? 
Alas !  it  is  often  forgotten  that  these  are  the  dispo- 
sitions which  the  Gospel  was  intended  to  produce ; 
and  that  the  faith  which  does  not  produce  them 
is  dead,  however  orthodox  it  may  be.  The  articles 
of  our  creed  are  doubtless  of  the  greatest  import- 
ance, and  ought  to  be  zealously  maintained.  But 
why  ?  Because  no  others  produce  such  excellent 
fruit  in  the  life.    Thus  the  doctrine  of  our  depra- 
vity has  an  evident  tendency  to  keep  us  humble ; 
that  of  our  weakness,  to  make  us  watchful  against 
sin,  and  stedfast  in  adherence  to  Christ;  the  love 
of  Christ,  in  giving  himself  for  sinners,  constrains  us 
to  live  in  strict  obedience  to  him  ;  his  free  forgive- 
ness implants  a  spirit  of  mildness  and  compassion 
in  our  hearts.  Thus  every  doctrine  is  to  be  brought 
into  action,  and  is  important  and  valuable  to  us 
only  as  it  produces  corresponding  and  appropriate 
dispositions.    Yet  how  large  is  the  number  of 
those  who  are  more  solicitous  to  have  their  faith 
sound  than  their  hearts  pure  !  who  thus  make  the 
kingdom  of  God  to  consist  in  doctrines,  which, 
through  our  abuse  of  them,  may  be  as  unedifying 
as  the  traditions  of  the  Jews  about  washing  of 
hands  and  purifying  of  vessels,  or  their  ordinances 
respecting  abstinence  from  meats  1 

We  have  made  no  inconsiderable  advance  in 
Christian  knowledge  when  we  are  fully  persuaded 
of  a  truth  so  simple,  that  we  might  expect  the  most 
ignorant  to  know  it — that  real  religion  is  seated 
in  the  heart,  and  not  in  the  understanding ;  in 


288     ON  THE  NATURE  OF  TRUE  RELIGION. 

the  power  rather  than  in  the  form  of  godliness, 
knowledge  and  faith  are  in  order  to  practice : 
and  we  neither  know  nor  believe  to  any  good 

"  purpose,  unless  our  knowledge  and  faith  influ- 

"  ence  our  conduct  and  make  us  truly  better  men. 

"  Let  us  live  upon  the  great  fundamentals  of 
religion,  and  let  not  our  attention  to  these  be 

"  diverted  by  an  intemperate  zeal  about  lesser 
things.    Let  us  not  place  our  religion  in  dis- 

"  putable  points  and  ineffectual  opinions ;  but  in 
those  weightier  matters  of  the  Law  and  Gospel, 
which  are  of  undoubted  importance,  and  in 
which  holy  men,  among  all  the  different  deno- 
minations  of  Christians,  are  better  agreed  than 

"  is  commonly  apprehended." 

What,  then,  is  religion  ?  I  answer  in  the  Apo- 
stle's words :  It  is  righteousness,  peace,  and  joy 
in  the  Holy  Ghost."  As  it  respects  God,  it  is 
righteousness ;  in  its  relation  to  man,  it  is  peace; 
and  as  it  regards  the  state  of  happiness  we  enjoy 
in  our  souls,  it  is  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost. 

What,  then,  are  we  to  understand  by  the  term 
righteousness  ? — There  are  some  who  sufficiently 
discern  that  forms  of  worship,  religious  exercises, 
and  speculative  opinions,  do  not  constitute  the 
whole  of  religion,  but  are  rather  means  to  obtain 
a  higher  end,  who  yet  fall  themselves  into  an  error 
similar  to  that  which  they  reprove  in  others. 
They  also  substitute  a  part  for  the  whole ;  a  part 
of  the  end  proposed  to  be  obtained  for  the  whole 
of  it.  They  admit  a  loose  interpretation  of  the 
nature  of  righteousness,  and  easily  satisfy  them- 
selves that  they  have  attained  all  that  is  required 


ON  THE  NATURE  OF  TRUE  RELIGION.  289 

of  them.  Righteousness,  and  peace,  and  joy  in 
the  Holy  Ghost  mean  little  more,  in  their  creed, 
than  a  freedom  from  gross  acts  of  fraud,  injustice, 
and  oppression,  a  general  honesty  of  conduct  in 
the  business  of  life,  a  peaceable  behaviour  to  our 
fellow-creatures,  and  the  satisfaction  arising  from 
a  good  conscience. 

Thus  by  setting  before  themselves  a  low  stan- 
dard, to  which,  by  the  help  of  a  little  partiality 
and  some  allowance  for  the  infirmity  of  human 
nature,  every  man  can  accommodate  himself,  the 
purity,  holiness,  and  righteousness,  which  the 
Gospel  enjoins,  become  almost  empty  names. 

But  true  righteousness,  as  it  is  described  in  the 
Gospel,  is  of  a  higher  and  purer  nature.  It  may 
be  considered  as  consisting  of  these  three  things, 
indissolubly  united :  Christian  motives,  spiritual 
worship,  and  holy  practice. 

1.  The  righteousness  which  the  Gospel  enjoins 
is  founded  in  Christian  motives. — It  is  the  motive 
which  determines  the  value  of  an  action ;  and  the 
highest  motives  alone  are  sufficient  to  render  our 
conduct  truly  Christian.  The  love  of  God — a 
fervent  desire  to  fulfil  his  will,  whether  consistent 
with  our  own  or  opposed  to  it — a  deep  value  for 
the  unsearchable  riches  of  Christ,  and  a  perma- 
nent wish  to  promote  the  glory  of  God — must  be 
deeply  fixed  in  the  heart,  must  regulate  our  whole 
conduct,  must  influence  us  to  self-denial,  and 
animate  us  to  exertion  in  his  service.  They  who 
are  described  as  righteous,  in  our  Saviour's  re- 
presentation of  the  last  day,  are  not  so  denomi- 
nated, merely  because  they  fed  the  hungry  and 
clothed  the  naked,  but  because  they  did  these 

VOL.  II.  u 


290       ON  THE  NATURE  OF  TRUE  RELIGION. 

things  for  Christ's  sake.  We  are  exhorted,  what- 
soever we  do,  to  do  it  in  the  name  of  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ.  Husbands  are  to  love  their  wives,  as 
Christ  also  loved  the  church ;  children  are  admo- 
nished to  obey  their  parents  in  the  Lord;  servants 
are  exhorted  to  be  obedient  to  their  masters  as 
unto  Christ,  not  with  eye-service  as  men-pleasers, 
but  as  the  servants  of  Christ  doing  the  will  of  God 
from  the  heart:  Lf ye  love  me,  keep  my  com- 
mandments." I  beseech  you,  brethren,  by  the 
7?iercies  of  God,  that  you  present  your  bodies,  as 
a  living  sacrifice,  holy,  acceptable  unto  God." 

Having  these  promises,  dearly  beloved,  let  us 
cleanse  ourselves  from  all  filthiness  of  flesh  and 
spirit."  The  true  Christian  will  feel  the  force  of 
such  expressions,  as  they  describe  the  motives 
from  which  he  really  acts. 

2.  Spiritual  worship  is  the  natural  fruit  of  Chris- 
tian principles. — A  truly  righteous  man  must  be  a 
devout  man :  all  his  principles  inculcate  the  ne- 
cessity of  serious  prayer.  The  knowledge  he 
obtains  through  the  Gospel,  of  the  corruption  and 
weakness  of  human  nature,  will  powerfully  lead 
him  to  pray  to  God,  from  whom  alone  he  expects 
strength  and  mercy.  His  hunger  and  thirst  after 
righteousness  will  manifest  themselves  in  earnest 
supplications  for  it  to  the  Throne  of  Grace.  A 
cold  and  formal  worship  may  seem  sufficient  to 
him,  who  has  a  partial  and  contracted  view  of  ho- 
liness, and  who  is  not  habitually  governed  by  the 
love  of  Christ ;  but  he  whose  heart  is  affected  by 
true  Christian  principles,  will  never  be  content, 
but  when  he  abounds  in  prayers  and  praises  to 
his  Redeemer.    He  does  not  pray  because  he 


ON  THE  NATURE  OF  TRUE  RELIGION.  291 

esteems  prayer  a  duty,  but  because  the  dispo- 
sitions of  his  heart  naturally  find  utterance  in 
addresses  to  God.  "  Seven  times,"  says  the 
Psalmist,  do  I  praise  thee,  because  of  thy 
righteous  judgments."  He  esteemed  one  day  in 
the  courts  of  God  better  than  a  thousand  ;  for  in 
his  heart,  as  in  that  of  St.  Paul,  the  love  of  God 
was  shed  abroad  by  the  Holy  Spirit. 

3.  Holy  practice  is  the  necessary  result  of 
Christian  principles  and  spiritual  worship. — In 
proportion  as  the  Christian  abounds  in  know- 
ledge and  prayer,  he  receives  power  to  live 
righteously,  soberly,  and  godly  in  the  world  :  the 
fear  of  God  influences  every  action ;  it  manifests 
itself  in  a  conscientious  discharge  of  the  duties 
of  our  stations,  in  a  watchfulness  over  our  pas- 
sions, in  a  sincere  endeavour  to  become  acquainted 
with  the  will  of  God,  and  to  perform  it  in  the 
best  manner  we  are  able.  The  principles  of  re- 
ligion are  distinguished  from  every  other  motive 
by  this,  that  they  influence  the  conduct,  in  every 
period  and  circumstance  of  life,  without  pause  or 
intermission.  In  proportion  as  the  general  mass 
of  our  conduct  is  governed  by  these  motives,  in 
that  proportion  are  we  righteous  persons.  Al- 
though we  should  possess  the  purest  principles, 
or  should  be  carried  out  in  the  highest  strain  of 
devotion ;  yet  whenever  those  principles  and 
that  devotion  cease  to  influence  and  regulate  our 
lives,  we  then  want  that  true  righteousness  in 
which  the  kingdom  of  God  consists. 

But  in  the  description,  given  by  the  Apostle, 
of  real  religion,  he  includes  peace  as  well  as 
righteousness.    By  considering  the  context,  we 

u  2 


292      ON  THE  NATURE  OF  TRUE  RELIGION. 

shall  see  that  by  this  expression  the  Apostle  pro- 
bably intended  in  this  place  a  spirit  of  peace  to- 
wards our  fellow-creatures. 

It  has  of  late  been  unhappily  assumed  by  some, 
that  love  to  man  and  love  to  God  are  distinct 
things,  which  have  no  immediate  and  necessary 
connexion.  It  is  true  that  a  degree  of  benevo- 
lence may  exist  without  love  to  God  or  Christian 
principles  :  but  it  is  equally  true,  that  love  to  our 
fellow-creatures,  in  its  highest  and  purest  state, 
can  never  be  permanently  seated  in  the  heart, 
which  is  destitute  of  love  to  Grod ;  and  that  love 
to  God  cannot  subsist  without  producing  love  to 
our  fellow-creatures  also :  for  the  love  of  God  is 
the  love  of  goodness,  justice,  troth,  mercy,  and 
good- will,  since  these  are  the  qualities  which 
eminently  reside  in  Grod,  and  by  which  we  are 
acquainted  with  him.  To  love  these  qualities 
without  possessing  a  measure  of  them  is  impos- 
sible. We  can  feel  no  real  approbation  of  God's 
holiness,  unless  we  are  holy  ourselves ;  nor  of  his 
goodness,  unless  we  entertain  sentiments  of  good 
will  to  those  around  us.  The  Scripture  represents 
the  view  of  God  s  perfections  as  having  a  trans- 
forming efficacy :  "  we  behold  as  in  a  glass  the 
glory  of  the  Lord,  and  are  changed  into  the  same 
image  from  glory  to  glory.'*  The  Apostle  con- 
cludes it  to  be  impossible  to  love  God,  unless  we 
love  our  brother  also  :  if  we  love  not  our  bro- 
ther whom  we  have  seen,  how  can  we  love  Grod 
whom  we  have  not  seen  ?  '  And  the  love  of  man 
is  the  natural  effect  of  the  knowledge  we  obtain 
of  God  through  the  Gospel.  "  Beloved,  if  God 
so  loved  us,  we  ou^ht  also  to  love  one  another. " 


ON  THE  NATURE  OF  TRUE  RELIGION.  293 

The  peace  which  my  text  mentions,  is  a  part  of 
the  religion  I  have  thus  described  as  consisting 
of  love  to  our  fellow-creatures,  because  it  is  evi- 
dent that  peace  arising  from  any  other  motive 
was  not  intended  by  the  Apostle  ;  for  a  spirit  of 
peace  then  only  becomes  a  Christian  virtue  when 
it  is  directed  by  Christian  love.  We  may  live  in 
peace  with  our  neighbours  from  timidity  of  tem- 
per, which  fears  resentment ;  or  from  selfishness, 
which  inclines  us  to  avoid  risk  and  trouble; — we 
may  give  them  no  disturbance  even  in  their  evil 
actions,  while  at  the  same  time  we  are  perfectly 
indifferent  to  their  welfare.  But  the  peaceable 
meek  disposition  of  a  truly  righteous  person  is  of 
a  different  nature.  It  is  a  copy  of  the  meekness 
of  Christ,  bearing  injuries  without  secretly  in- 
dulging a  spirit  of  resentment ;  pardoning  tres- 
passes, desiring  the  good  even  of  enemies,  not 
rendering  railing  for  railing,  but  contrariwise, 
blessing;"  and  labouring  to  do  good,  though  it 
may  eventually  be  the  means  of  contention  :  for 
as  the  Prince  of  peace  forewarned  his  disciples, 
that  he  was  not  come  to  send  peace  upon  earth, 
but  a  sword,  so  it  will  be  found  by  his  servants, 
that  whoever  is  active  in  doing  good,  even  with 
the  purest  motives,  will  frequently  kindle  the 
flame  of  strife  and  opposition.  He  who  would 
live  in  perfect  peace  with  the  world,  must  allow 
men  to  live  as  they  please,  without  reproof  of 
their  sin  ;  but  it  is  a  part  of  that  love,  from 
which  a  Christian's  peaceable  disposition  is  de- 
rived, to  endeavour  to  stem  the  torrent  of  vice, 
and  in  a  prudent  and  proper  manner  to  rebuke 
offenders. 


294       ON  THE  NATURE  OF  TRUE  RELIGION. 

Lastly,  The  Apostle  concludes  his  description 
of  real  religion  by  representing  it  as  joy  i?i  the 
Holy  Ghost. 

The  Holy  Ghost  is  emphatically  styled  the 
Comforter;  and  it  is  his  gracious  office  to  bless 
and  reward  the  works  of  righteousness  and  peace 
by  communicating  to  the  soul  tranquillity  and 
holy  joy.  The  work  of  righteousness  shall  be 
peace  ;  and  the  effect  of  righteousness,  quietness 
and  assurance  for  ever." 

Look  at  the  real  disciple  of  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ ;  examine  his  principles,  and  survey  his 
actions,  and  say  whether  it  is  possible  that  he 
should  not  enjoy  real  happiness.  His  principles 
pure,  his  motives  noble,  waging  war  with  every 
evil  passion — the  great  source  of  misery  in  the 
world — fervent  in  devotion,  strong  in  faith,  and 
believing  the  promises  of  God,  abounding  in  hope, 
and  fervent  in  good-will  towards  his  fellow-crea- 
tures, how  can  he  but  be  happy  ?  Examine  any 
one  of  these  particulars  singly,  you  will  find  it 
sufficient  to  fill  the  heart  with  tranquillity.  Bene- 
volence towards  our  fellow-creatures  will  produce 
it,  by  depriving  the  heart  of  every  angry  passion, 
and  leading  us  to  sympathize  in  all  the  happiness 
of  our  fellow-creatures.  The  hope  of  glory  will 
gild  every  prospect  in  life,  and  render  all  its  af- 
flictions light.  Trust  in  God  will  impart  abiding 
comfort  to  us,  for  God  will  keep  him  in  perfect 
peace  who  trusteth  in  him."  Above  all,  the  love 
of  God  is  an  unceasing  source  of  happiness ;  for 
this  will  make  us  satisfied  with  every  dispensation 
of  our  Heavenly  Father,  and  gladden  our  hearts 
in  the  view  of  his  infinite  goodness.    But  in  the 


ON  THE  NATURE  OF  TRUE  RKLIGION.  295 


true  servant  of  Christ  all  these  means  of  tranquil- 
lity are  united ;  every  powerful  motive  to  con- 
tentment ;  every  source  of  pure  and  real  enjoy- 
ment, added  to  the  brightest  hope  of  glory. 

Alas  !  vv^hy  are  we  so  unmindful  of  the  cha- 
racter and  privileges  of  a  real  Christian  ?  Why 
do  we  so  little  enjoy  the  peace  of  God  ?  The 
answer  is  obvious  :  We  are  deserting  Him  who 
is  the  fountain  of  living  waters,  and  hewing  out 
to  ourselves  broken  cisterns  which  will  hold  no 
^  water."  We  seek  for  happiness  in  the  world  ; 
we  are  not  solicitous  to  have  the  kingdom  of  God 
established  with  power  in  our  hearts ;  we  are  not 
true  believers  in  Christ,  and  therefore  we  enjoy 
not  the  consolations  of  the  righteous.  But  there 
is  a  peace  which  passeth  all  understanding. 
There  is  a  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost  unspeakable 
and  full  of  glory ;  and  it  is  the  shame  of  men,  as 
well  as  their  misfortune,  that  they  know  so  little 
of  this  joy,  and  desire  so  little  to  obtain  it. 

In  conclusion,  let  us  learn  to  beware  of  narrow 
and  defective  views  of  religion.  It  is  a  subject 
which  requires  our  loftiest  conceptions.  It  is 
worthy  of  God,  from  whom  it  proceeds :  it  is 
most  honourable  to  man,  whom  it  raises  to  be 
partaker  of  the  Divine  nature.  How  has  it  been 
degraded,  and  its  glory  obscured  !  What  various 
parties  and  sects  have  singled  out  some  minute 
part  of  it,  and  magnified  that  part  to  the  dis- 
paragement of  the  rest,  as  if  the  truth  of  God 
wholly  consisted  in  a  form  or  ceremony,  or  a 
peculiar  mode  of  worship.  Let  religion  be  taken 
in  its  full  and  proper  sense,  and  all  objections  to 


296      ON  THE  NATURE  OF  TRUE  RELIGION. 

it  are  obviated :  it  concludes  equally  faith  and 
practice,  worship  and  holiness ;  love  to  God  and 
love  to  man,  duty  to  God  and  duty  to  our  neigh- 
bour; peace  and  purity  of  soul.  It  comprehends 
**  w^hatsoever  is  pure,  w^hatsoever  is  lovely,  what- 
soever is  of  good  report."  Let  us  not  injure  it 
by  substituting  a  part,  however  excellent  that 
part  may  be,  for  the  whole  of  this  Divine  and 
glorious  system.  Christ,  the  Author  of  our  reli- 
gion, and  the  Pattern  of  all  that  are  righteous, 
contained  in  himself  and  communicates  to  his 
people,  the  highest  degree  of  excellence  of  every 
kind.  His  religion  is  a  constant  progress  to  per- 
fection ;  it  is  at  once  the  resemblance  of  that 
better  state  above,  and  a  continued  preparation 
for  it. 


297 


SERMON  XX. 

ON  THE  POWER  AND  GLORY  OF  CHRIST. 


COL.  i.  18,  19. 

That  in  all  things  he  might  have  the  preeminence. 
For  it  pleased  the  Father  that  in  him  should  all  ful- 
ness dwell. 

The  salvation  of  our  souls  is  of  such  infinite 
importance,  that  we  cannot  be  too  solicitous  as 
to  the  means  of  securing  it.  And  when  we  are 
told  that  it  must  be  effected,  solely  by  the  power 
and  at  the  intercession  of  One  who  seemed  in 
most  respects  a  man  like  ourselves,  and  suffered 
an  ignominious  death,  it  is  both  natural  and  rea- 
sonable to  inquire  what  extraordinary  virtue  he 
possessed,  or  whence  he  derived  the  wonderful 
power  of  arresting  the  arm  of  Divine  Justice,  and 
bestowing  pardon  for  offences  against  God ;  of 
bidding  the  despairing  sinner  hope,  and  of  pro- 
mising to  wretched  mortals  eternal  life  and  the 
happiness  of  heaven.  An  answer  to  this  inquiry 
is  given  in  the  words  of  which  my  text  is  a 
part :  We  have  redemption,"  says  the  Apostle, 
''through  his  blood,  even  the  forgiveness  of  sins." 
And  to  satisfy  us,  that  the  blood  of  Christ  may 
possess  an  efficacy  to  which  no  other  atonement 
could  pretend,  the  extraordinary  dignity  and 


298    ON  THE  POWER  AND  GLORY  OF  CHRIST. 

glory  of  his  nature  are  plainly  revealed.  "He  is 
the  image  of  the  invisible  God ; "  an  image  or 
likeness  such  as  a  mirror  represents;  an  exact 
copy  of  the  Divine  original,  resembling  him  in 
glory,  in  attributes,  in  dominion.  The  first- 
born of  every  creature ;  "  first-born,  not  as  being 
himself  a  creature,  and  merely  the  first  of  created 
beings,  but  as  Heir  or  Lord  of  the  universe — ex- 
pressions which,  as  we  learn  from  Justinian,  were 
anciently  synonimous  with  each  other.  This 
passage  therefore  corresponds  with  another  of 
the  same  Apostle,  in  which  Christ  is  styled  *'the 
Heir  of  all  things,  for,"  or  because,  ''by  him  all 
things  were  created,  that  are  in  heaven  and  that 
are  in  earth,  visible,"  as  the  lights  of  the  firma- 
ment and  all  this  lower  world,  *'  and  invisible," 
as  the  whole  host  of  spiritual  beings,  *'  whether 
they  be"  styled  thrones  or  dominions,  princi- 
palities or  powers,  all  things  were  created  by 
him"  as  the  agent,  *'  and  for  him"  as  the  end  of 
their  creation.  ''  And  he  is  before  all  things," 
in  respect  to  his  eternal  existence,  "  and  by 
him,"  by  the  constant  exertion  of  his  power  and 
providence,  "  all  things  consist."  And  as  he  is 
thus  the  Lord  of  the  universe  by  creation,  so  is 
he  likewise  by  redemption  the  Lord  of  the  church. 
"  He  is  the  Head  of  the  body  the  church,  who  is 
the  beginning ;  "  the  author  of  the  Christian  dis- 
pensation; "  the  first  born  from  the  dead,"  rising 
as  the  first  fruits  of  that  resurrection  to  life  and 
immortality  in  which  his  redeemed  shall  have 
part  through  him,  and  thus  Lord  of  the  church 
above,  "  that  in  all  things  he  might  have  the  pre- 
eminence ;  for  it  pleased  the  Father  that  in  him 


ON  THE  POWER  AND  GLORY  OF  CHRIST.  299 

should  all  fulness  dwell ; "  all  fulness  of  power  to 
create,  to  redeem,  to  preserve,  to  govern,  to  save 
his  people. 

Here,  then,  we  have  the  ground  explained  on 
which  we  may  safely  trust  in  Christ  as  an  all- 
sufficient  Saviour.  It  is  Him,  who  is  the  image 
of  the  invisible  God,  and  Lord  of  all  things  in 
heaven  and  earth,  on  whose  atonement  we  are 
required  to  rely.  It  is  to  Him,  who  is  ordained 
to  be  head  over  all  things  to  the  church,  that  we 
are  directed  to  look  for  victory  over  all  our  spiri- 
tual enemies.  And  indeed  there  is  an  obvious 
propriety  in  the  appointment,  that  the  same  illus- 
trious person  who  was  the  Creator  of  the  world, 
should  also  be  its  Redeemer — that  he  who  gave  it 
life  should  be  the  restorer  of  that  life  when  it  was 
forfeited — that  he  who  will  judge  the  world  at 
the  last  day  should  be  the  same  person  who  both 
formed  it  by  his  power  and  redeemed  it  by  his 
blood;  For  if  Christ  was  the  immediate  Crea- 
tor and  Governor  of  the  world,  what  reason  can 
be  imagined  why  God  should  ever  take  this  au- 
thority out  of  the  hands  of  his  Son,  or  set  up 
another  to  have  dominion  over  any  part  of  the 
creation  which  by  natural  right  belonged  to  him 
who  made  all  things.  Were  we  to  consider  one 
person  in  the  Holy  Trinity  as  our  Creator,  and 
another  as  our  Redeemer,  it  would  be  extremely 
to  the  diminution  of  the  honour  and  regard  due 
to  the  Creator;  for  the  blessing  of  redemption 
would  greatly  outweigh  the  benefit  of  creation, 
and  it  would  be  natural  for  us  to  prefer  the  love 
that  delivered  us  from  the  evils  and  miseries  of 


300    ON  THE  POWEll  AND  GLORY  OF  CHRIST. 

the  world,  to  that  which  placed  us  in  them*." 
But  now  we  see  all  those  things  which  bear  any  rela- 
tion to  man,  and  call  for  his  confidence,  his  gra- 
titude, and  his  love  centering  in  the  same  person. 
That  Divine  Being  who  breathed  into  us  the 
breath  of  life,  who  has  been  our  constant  Pre- 
server and  our  bountiful  Benefactor :  to  whom  we 
owe  every  blessing  which  renders  life  desirable  ; 
he  it  is  who  took  upon  him  our  nature,  and  re- 
deemed us  by  his  blood ;  he  it  is  who  intercedes 
in  our  behalf  at  the  right  hand  of  the  Father ;  he 
it  is  who  sends  the  holy  influence  of  the  Spirit  to 
sanctify  our  corrupt  nature  ;  his  presence  is  ever 
with  us  to  defend  and  bless  us ;  by  his  word  we 
are  instructed,  by  his  ordinances  edified,  by  his 
promises  comforted  and  supported.  Into  his  hands 
we  commend  our  parting  spirit ;  he  receives  them 
in  the  realm  of  glory ;  he  shall  raise  our  vile  bodies, 
and  fashion  them  like  unto  his  own  glorified  body. 
And  he  too  is  the  sole  Judge  of  the  world ;  who 
shall  pronounce  by  his  own  authority  the  irrever- 
sible sentence  by  which  we  must  be  either  ad- 
mitted into  everlasting  bliss,  or  doomed  to  eternal 
punishment.  Thus,  with  respect  to  man,  he  is 
the  Alpha  and  Omega,  the  Beginning  and  the 
End ;  the  Author  of  all  his  blessings,  present  or 
in  prospect;  the  great  Object  of  his  veneration, 
hope,  and  love.  In  all  things  he  has  the  preemi- 
nence, and  in  him  all  fulness  dwells  for  the  crea- 
tion, the  government,  the  protection,  the  salvation 
of  men. 


*  Sherlock,  vol.  i.  p.  48. 


ON  THE  POWER  AND  GLORY  OF  CHRIST.  301 

Let  it  not  be  thought  that  while  we  attribute  this 
preeminence,  this  fulness  to  Christ,  we  derogate 
from  the  honour  and  glory  which  belong  to  the 
Father ;  for  it  must  be  remembered  that  it  is  the 
will  of  the  Father  that  "  all  men  should  honour 
the  Son  even  as  they  honour  the  Father."  It 
pleased  the  Father  that  **in  him  should  all  fulness 
dwell."    "  The  Father  judgeth  no  man,  but  has 
committed  all  judgment  to  the  Son  ;"  yet  in  the 
end  all  these  offices  of  our  Redeemer  shall  pro- 
mote the  Father's  glory.    This  was  the  final  aim 
and  object  of  Christ ;  and  it  was  his  prayer,  while 
on  earth,    Father,  glorify  thy  Son,  that  thy  Son 
also  may  glorify  Thee."    The  mediatorial  king- 
dom is  entrusted  to  Him  for  this  very  purpose, 
"  till  he  shall  have  subdued  all  his  enemies  under 
his  feet ; "  till  he  shall  have  repaired  the  ruin  made 
by  sin  in  his  Father  s  dominions,  and  restored  the 
creature  to  the  capacity  of  fulfilling  the  end  of  his 
creation,  and  of  reflecting  glory  upon  the  God 
who  made  him.    When  this  is  accomplished, 
"  then  cometh  the  end,  when  he  shall  deliver  up 
the  kingdom,"  the  office  and  government  which  he 
received  as  Mediator,  to  God,  even  the  Father  : 
and  **  then  shall  the  Son  also  himself  be  subject 
unto  him  that  put  all  things  under  him,  that  God 
may  be  all  in  all."    The  economy  of  Grace  shall 
be  superseded  ;  the  Godhead  itself,  the  Trinity  in 
Unity,  become  the  immediate  dispenser  of  bless- 
ings, and  resume  the  empire  of  the  worlds.  When 
we  entertain  the  fear  that  we  may  derogate  from 
the  Father's  honour  by  ascribing  so  much  power 
and  glory  to  Christ,  we  do  not  sufficiently  reflect 
on  the  union  and  identity  of  their  nature.  Sup- 


302    ox  THE  POWER  AND  GLORY  OF  CHRIST. 

pose  that  an  earthly  monarch  were  to  entrust  the 
charge  of  some  distant  and  rebellious  province  to 
his  son,  that  he  were  to  commit  the  government 
into  his  hands,  and  invest  him  with  all  the  dignity 
and  authority  of  the  crown  :  this  transfer  of  the 
regal  prerogative  would  not  necessarily  detract 
from  the  father  s  2:reatness :  it  mis^ht  tend  to  its 
support  and  extension ;  the  province  might  after- 
wards be  restored  to  its  sovereign,  freed  from 
disloyalty,  augmented  in  its  revenues,  more  effi- 
cient in  its  resources,  a  support  to  the  empire, 
and  an  ornament  to  the  crown.  Could  it  be  said, 
that  in  this  case  the  honour  paid  to  the  son  de- 
tracted from  the  father's  glory  ?  Or  rather,  would 
there  not  be  a  perfect  identity  of  the  interests  of 
the  father  and  the  son  ?  In  the  mediatorial  king- 
dom of  Christ  there  is  this  identity.  The  union 
is  mysterious  indeed,  and  incomprehensible,  but 
altogether  complete  and  perfect ;  so  that  the  Son 
is  truly  one  with  the  Father,  and  the  honour  paid 
to  the  Son  is  virtually  paid  to  the  Father  himself. 
It  is  according  to  his  will,  in  conformity  to  his 
appointment,  and  tending  to  his  glory. 

But  further,  if  we  honour  the  Father  without 
the  Son,  lest  otherwise  we  should  derogate  from 
the  glory  of  the  Father,  is  there  no  presumption, 
no  danger  nor  guilt,  in  thus  rejecting  the  counsel 
of  God  and  taking  upon  us  to  be  wise  "  above" 
and  against  what  is  written  Has  he  not  him- 
self given  us  a  dispensation,  according  to  which 
"  it  has  pleased  the  Father  that  all  fulness  should 
dwell  "  in  the  Son,  and  that  pardon  and  life  should 
be  administered  only  through  him  ?  If  such  be  the 
character  of  the  revelation  which  he  has  afforded, 


ON  THE  POWER  AND  GLORY  OF  CHRIST.  303 

it  is  surely  our  first  duty  to  honour  him  in  his 
appointed  way,  and  thankfully  to  receive  his 
salvation.  The  system  of  redemption  is  grounded 
on  our  characters  as  sinners.  Had  we  continued 
innocent  as  at  first  created,  we  might  perhaps 
have  worshipped  God,  without  the  intervention 
of  a  Mediator ;  and  the  time  will  come  when  the 
Son,  having  put  all  enemies  under  his  feet,  will 
deliver  up  the  kingdom  to  God,  even  the  Father, 
that  God  may  be  all  in  all.  But  till  that  day 
shall  arrive  we  live  under  a  dispensation  in  which 
the  Son  is  exhibited  to  us  as  the  great  object  of 
love  and  adoration.  He  is  our  Creator  —  our 
Redeemer — our  Sanctifier — our  Governor — and 
our  Judge;  and  to  rebel  against  his  authority, 
even  under  pretence  of  honouring  the  Father,  may 
be  considered  as  rebellion  against  the  Father  him- 
self; for  the  only  mode  in  which  man  can  honour 
God,  must  be  his  obedience  to  his  will ;  and  when 
that  will  is  plainly  revealed,  we  must  obey  it, 
whatever  it  may  be,  without  hesitation,  dispute^ 
or  murmuring.  The  Jews  had  a  zeal  for  God, 
but  not  according  to  knowledge ;  arising  from 
partial  views  and  unwarranted  conceptions  of  the 
Divine  nature  and  character.  This  zeal  dictated 
their  opposition  to  Christ.  They  put  him  to  death, 
because,  being aman," he  said  *'that  God  washis 
Father;  "  thus  making  himself  equal  with  God.'f 
But  they  are  held  up  as  an  awful  example  of  the 
danger  of  rejecting  the  counsel  of  God,  even 
through  zeal  for  his  attributes  ;  and  their  house 
is  left  unto  them  desolate,  till  the  day  when  they 
shall  bow  to  the  authority  of  Christ,  and  say, 


304  ON  THE  POWER  AND  GLORY  OF  CHRIST. 

Blessed  is  He  that  cometh  in  the  name  of  the 
Lord." 

This,  my  brethren,  is  not  a  subject  of  merely- 
speculative  theology  :  it  is  calculated  to  promote 
feelings  the  most  essential  both  to  our  encourage- 
ment and  to  our  progress  in  holiness. 

1.  It  should  lead  us  to  adore  that  God  who, 
with  such  unspeakable  love,  has  provided  for  us 
a  full,  perfect,  and  sufficient  atonement ;  not  with- 
holding his  only  Son,  but  giving  him  up  for  us 
all.   Herein,  indeed,  was  love — infinite  love  such 
as  could  only  have  dwelt  in  the  Divine  nature, 
that,  in  order  to  save  us  from  destruction,  God 
"  spared  not  his  own  Son."    Let  none  think  that 
in  our  view  of  this  plan  of  redemption  the  Father 
is  represented  as  stern  and  unforgiving,  and  the 
Son  alone  is  mild  and  gracious;  the  Father  as 
rigorously  just,  while  the  Son  yearns  over  us 
with  compassion ;  the  Father  full  of  wrath,  which 
the  Son  dies  to  appease ;  for  the  Scriptures  every 
where  represent  each  of  these  Divine  Persons  as 
concurring  in  the  grand  scheme  of  our  redemp- 
tion; as  having  devised  and  carried  it  on,  from  first 
to  last,  in  concert  with  each  other.    As  there  is 
unity  of  nature,  so  is  there  an  unity  of  will  and 
disposition.    In  both,  the  love,  the  mercy,  the 
compassion  are  equal.    It  was  the  Father  who 
gave  us  so  great  and  glorious  a  Saviour :  it  was 
his  "  will "  which  Christ  came  "  to  do,"  when, 
the  inefficacy  of  all  other  expiation  being  de- 
clared, he  laid  aside  his  glory,  and  quitted  the 
right  hand  of  Majesty  in  the  heavens,  to  shroud 


ON  THE  POWER  AND  GLORY  OF  CHRIST.  305 


his  Godhead  in  a  veil  of  flesh,  to  dwell  with  rebels 
in  a  world  of  sin  and  misery  ;  and  at  length  to  die 
by  their  hands,  that  he  might  remove  the  heavy 
curse  which  lay  upon  them,  and  redeem  them  to 
God  by  his  blood.  Then  said  he,  Lo,  I  come  :  in 
the  volume  of  the  Book  it  is  written  of  me,  to  do 
thywiU,  O  God." 

Let  us  then  adore  him,  when  we  contemplate 
the  greatness  and  glory  of  our  Redeemer,  and  the 
various  offices  which  he  fulfils,  and  the  innume- 
rable benefits  which  are  derived  to  us  from  this 
unspeakable  Gift.  We  know  comparatively  little 
of  God,  but  as  we  behold  him  in  Christ:  here 
his  character  shines  forth  most  conspicuously. 
Angels  strive  to  improve  their  knowledge  of 
Jehovah  by  the  contemplation  of  his  love  in  our 
redemption  :  and  shall  not  we  adore  him,  who 
have  all  the  benefit  of  this  his  inestimable  love  ? 
While  we  enjoy  the  cheering  influences  of  the 
sun,  should  we  forget  who  fixed  his  orb  in  the 
firmament,  and  clothed  him  with  light  and  glory, 
and  bade  his  bright  and  vivifying  rays  shine  forth 
on  every  planet  within  his  system  ?  And  shall  we 
be  insensible  to  the  goodness  of  him  who  bade 
the  Sun  of  Righteousness  arise  on  this  benighted 
world,  with  healing  in  his  beams  ?  No !  let  our 
praises  continually  ascend  through  Jesus  Christ 
to  the  throne  of  the  Most  High ;  and  while  we 
daily  advance  in  our  knowledge  of  the  blessings 
contained  in  the  Covenant  of  Grace,  let  us  adore 
the  wisdom  which  contrived  it,  and  the  love  which 
gave  us  a  Saviour  so  entirely  suited  to  our  neces- 
sities, and  so  able  to  save  to  the  uttermost  all 
that  come  unto  God  through  him." 

VOL.  II.  X 


306    ON  THE  POWER  AND  GLORY  OF  CHRIST. 

2.  Nor  let  the  tribute  of  gratitude,  of  holy 
praise  and  love,  be  withheld  from  him  who  as- 
sumed so  many  offices  in  our  behalf.  What  tongue 
of  men  or  of  angels  can  fully  tell,  what  imagina- 
tion can  justly  conceive,  what  heart  can  worthily 
feel  the  extent  of  our  obligations  to  that  Gracious 
Being,  who,  though  by  him  all  things  were  cre- 
ated, and  though  he  was  our  natural  Sovereign 
and  Lord,  yet  for  our  sakes  emptied  himself  of 
all  his  glory,  assumed  our  nature,  dwelt  among 
us,  became  our  instructor  and  example,  and  suf- 
fered an  ignominious  death  on  the  cross  for  our 
sins ;  and  who,  rising  from  the  dead,  ascended 
into  his  native  heavens  in  the  character  of  our 
Intercessor  and  Advocate ;  that  having  atoned  for 
our  offences  he  might  plead  that  atonement  for  us 
with  the  Father,  and  be  the  Agent  from  first  to 
last  in  bringing  his  redeemed  to  glory. 

Do  we  not  owe  to  him,  my  brethren,  our  dear- 
est hopes,  our  every  enjoyment,  the  very  life  of 
our  souls  ?  Can  any  sacrifice  for  his  sake  be  too 
great;  any  obedience  be  more  than  his  due? 
Christ  demands  and  deserves  our  hearts.  Infinite 
have  been  his  favours ;  unparalleled  his  love :  and 
since  all  we  possess  has  proceeded  from  him, 
he  expects  that  in  return  we  should  devote  it  to 
him.  He  will  not  be  satisfied  with  a  cold  form  of 
worship.  He  requires  our  best  affections  and  our 
highest  confidence.  "  He  that  loveth  father  or 
mother  more  than  me,  is  not  worthy  of  me.  If  a 
man  prefer  even  his  own  life,  so  as  to  renounce 
Him  and  his  Gospel  for  the  sake  of  it,  he  is  not 
a  true  disciple :  for  the  deliberate  preference  of 
any  earthly  object  is  in  fact  a  dishonour  to  him. 


ON  THE  POWER  AND  GLORY  OF  CHRIST.  307 


We  are,  indeed,  seldom  required  to  prove  our 
attachment  to  Christ  by  the  actual  voluntary 
surrender  of  any  beloved  relative ;  but  we  are 
most  justly  expected  to  testify  our  love  by  a 
conscientious  obedience  to  all  his  precepts.  We 
are  to  attend  his  ordinances,  to  read  his  word,  to 
unite  ourselves  to  his  servants,  and  to  regulate 
our  whole  lives  by  his  example.  Oh !  my  brethren, 
see  that  ye  are  not  deficient  in  these  evidences  of 
regard  to  Christ !  The  hour  is  coming  in  which 
his  favour  will  be  of  more  worth  to  you  than  a 
thousand  worlds.  Let  it  not  be  discovered  in 
that  day  that  ye  have  been  strangers  to  him,  and 
have  undervalued,  or  neglected,  his  salvation. 

3.  The  preceding  considerations  may  strengthen 
your  dependence  on  the  death  of  Christ  for  the 
pardon  of  your  sins  and  the  redemption  of  your 
souls. 

We  call  upon  you  to  rely  on  Christ  as  making 
a  full  atonement  for  your  sins,  and  to  commit  your 
souls  with  entire  confidence  into  his  hands  ;  and 
therefore  we  call  upon  you  to  contemplate  him  in 
all  the  various  offices  which  he  bears.  He  is  our 
Creator  and  Benefactor,  the  Giver  and  the  Pre- 
server of  our  lives  :  by  Him  we  shall  one  day  rise 
again  from  the  dead,  and  he  shall  be  our  final 
Judge.  If  we  are  delivered  from  any  evil,  our 
deliverance  is  efiected  by  his  power;  whatever 
good  is  conferred  upon  us  is  the  result  of  his 
bounty.  He  has  all  power  in  heaven  and  earth  to 
accomplish  every  thing  for  our  benefit,  and  pos- 
sesses every  Divine  attribute  necessary  for  our 
security  and  welfare.  He  is  with  us  upon  earth 
to  defend  us  with  his  loving  kindness  as  with  a 

X  2 


308    ON  THE  POWER  AND  GLORY  OF  CHRIST. 

shield  :  he  is  seated  in  heaven  at  the  right  hand 
of  the  Father,  there  to  intercede  in  our  behalf. 
He  once  became  man  for  our  sakes  ;  yet,  even 
in  that  state  of  humiliation,  he  performed  works 
which  clearly  manifested  his  Divinity  :  though 
men  rejected,  angels  adored  him ;  though  his 
body  suffered  from  toil  and  hunger,  yet  that  frail 
tabernacle  was  the  residence  of  the  Godhead. 
Even  then  he  knew  the  secret  thoughts  of  men's 
hearts — the  devils  were  subject  to  him — he  touch- 
ed the  eye  of  the  blind,  and  it  saw — he  bade  the 
deaf  ear  be  opened,  and  it  heard — he  called,  and 
the  dead  came  forth  to  him  from  the  graves — he 
commanded  even  the  winds  and  sea,  and  they 
obeyed  him.  Whatever  view  we  take  of  Christ, 
he  exhibits  the  same  character  of  essential  great- 
ness and  glory.  In  his  humiliation  he  was  still 
"  God  manifest  in  the  flesh ; "  as  Mediator,  he 
has  all  power  for  the  salvation  of  his  people ;  and 
as  Judge,  shall  have  authority  to  pass  the  final 
sentence  and  fix  the  doom  both  of  his  disciples 
and  his  enemies. 

Each  view  affords  some  new  display  of  his 
power  and  dignity.  Each  presents  him  to  us  as 
deserving  of  our  highest  confidence ;  each  shews 
the  efficacy  and  greatness  of  his  redemption.  He 
is  thus  proclaimed  to  be  the  Son  of  God,  infinite 
in  dignity,  qualified  to  be  our  Advocate,  as  having 
power  to  prevail  with  the  Father,  worthy  to  re- 
ceive from  man,  as  he  does  from  the  blessed  spirits 
above,  all  honour,  and  glory,  and  dominion,  and 
majesty  for  ever. 

In  confiding  our  souls,  therefore,  to  Jesus  Christ, 
we  trust  in  One  who  is  almighty  and  all-sufficient. 


ON  THE  POWER  AND  GLORY  OF  CHRIST.  309 

and  able  to  save  to  the  uttermost  those  who  come 
to  God  by  him.  Fear  not,  therefore,  thou  peni- 
tent sinner,  who  art  justly  sensible  of  the  number 
and  guilt  of  thy  sins  ;  fear  not,  but  apply  in  faith 
to  this  omnipotent  Saviour ;  and  with  all  humility, 
and  yet  with  exulting  hope  and  joy,  say— In 
the  Lord  put  I  my  trust."  In  the  Lord  have  I 
righteousness  and  strength."  In  the  Lord 
shall"  I    be  justified,  and  will  glory." 

O  blessed  security,  which  is  thus  afforded  to 
all  who,  with  repentance  and  faith,  trust  in  the 
Redeemer  of  sinners  !  The  sense  of  that  security 
will  continually  enlarge,  as  the  knowledge  of  the 
glorious  plan  of  salvation  becomes  distinct,  and 
as  the  power  and  dignity  of  the  Redeemer  are 
better  understood.  Hasten,  then,  ye  penitent 
sinners,  to  Him  :  under  the  shadow  of  his 
wings  make"  your  refuge,  till  the  calamities" 
of  life  **be  overpast."  Behold,  he  waits  to  be 
your  Saviour !  And  having  been  both  ordained 
and  accepted  by  the  Father,  as  the  Atonement 
for  sin,  he  offers  you  a  free  and  complete  salvation. 
Oh,  perish  not  in  your  sins,  while  this  Deliverer 
stands  near,  and  is  able  and  ready  to  communi- 
cate life  and  salvation ! 

4.  And  ye  who  do  trust  in  Christ  for  salvation, 
forget  not  that  in  all  things  he  is  to  have  the  pre- 
eminence :  For  it  hath  pleased  the  Father  that 
in  him  should  all  fulness  dwell."  It  is  not, 
therefore,  enough  that  you  rely  on  him  for  the 
pardon  of  your  sins;  your  application  to  him 
must  be  for  every  blessing  of  which  your  souls 
stand  in  need.  Do  you  want  wisdom,  strength, 
or  grace  ?  He    of  God  is  made  unto  us  wisdom, 


310  ox  THE  POWER  AMD  GLO&T  OF  CHRIST. 


and  ligteottsoesB^  and  sMctifi<?ation,  and  Te- 
demiitkHi.''  Hie  life  of  a  true  disciple  of  Christ 
is  a  continual  exercise  of  Cuth  in  him ;  or  lath^r, 
it  is  He  who  lives  and  woiks  in  the  believer. 
''Christ dwells  in*"  his ''heart  by fiidi.''  "lam 
crucified  wilh  duist,''  he  exclaims  with  the 
Apostle :  I  am  in  mysdf  dead  and  poweilesB, 
like  the  body  of  Christ  when  hailing  lifidess 
on  the  cross:  "nererdidessl  live;  yet  not  I,  but 
Christ  liveth  in  me;  and  the  life  which  I  now  lire 
in  the  flesh,  I  lire  by  the  &ithrf  the  Son  <^God, 
who  loved  roe,  and  gave  himself  far  me.**  O 
blessed  nnion  €if  the  dbci|Jes  to  their  Divine 
Master!  By  this  precious  feith  they  become  one 
with  him,  and  he  with  them:  they  thus  dwell  in 
him,  and  he  in  them. 

[This  union  is  abundantly  manifested  by  the 
holy  emUems  of  flbe  Lords  death  vrhic^  are  now 
set  before  you.  On  diis  point  I  need  not  enlarge. 
As  our  bodies  are  str»igthened  by  the  food  which 
we  eat,  so  are  our  souk  nourished  by  foith  id  the 
body  and  Uood  of  Christ  given  for  u&  God 
grant  that,  beii^  united  to  him  by  a  living  feith, 
our  souls  may  indeed  be  refireshed  and  strengdi- 
ened  by  our  participaling  in  this  most  hf^  ser- 
vice!] 

Yet,  while  I  indulge  that  hope  on  bdialf  of 
eaM^  of  you,  ray  brethren,  I  must  nc»t  fovget  that 
there  are  many  nminai  Christians,  who,  either 
from  indifference  respecting  their  salvation  or 
firom  a  vain  confidence  in  their  own  imperfect 
righteonsncss,  do  not  address  themsdves  to  Christ 
as  their  Saviour,  have  no  communion  with  him, 
and  are  even  jealous  of  the  boDoor  rendered  to 


ON  THE  POWER  AND  GLORY  OF  CHRIST.  311 

him  by  others.  Let  such  reflect,  that  they  are 
sinners ;  and  that,  if  their  sins  are  pardoned,  it 
must  be  in  the  way  which  God  has  appointed. 
If  they  do  not  believe  the  Scriptures,  they  incur 
a  tremendous  responsibility;  they  are  exposing 
their  souls  to  eternal  and  inevitable  perdition, 
unless  that  volume  is  false  which  others  most  as- 
suredly believe  to  be  a  Divine  revelation.  But  if 
they  profess  to  believe  in  the  word  of  God,  then 
there  is  a  strange  inconsistency  in  their  conduct. 
What  infatuation  has  possessed  you?  Do  not 
these  Scriptures  testify  of  Christ  as  the  only  hope 
for  lost  sinners  ?  Do  they  not  continually  set 
him  forth  as  the  Son  of  God,  sent  to  be  the  Sa- 
viour of  the  world  ?  Is  not  he  the  illustrious 
person  to  whom  all  the  Prophets  as  well  as  Apo- 
stles bear  witness,  that  there  is  salvation  in  no 
other ;  that  there  is  no  other  name  under  heaven 
given  among  men  by  which  we  can  be  saved? 
Shall  we,  then,  at  once  believe  this  testimony, 
and  neglect  Him  concerning  whom  it  has  been 
given  ?  Shall  we  cast  contempt  upon  God's  ap- 
pointment, by  treating  it  as  unimportant  or  un- 
necessary. Let  us  not,  my  brethren,  incur  this 
danger  to  our  immortal  souls.  Christ  is  ''the 
way,  and  the  truth,  and  the  life;  and  no  man 
Cometh  unto  the  Father  but  by  him." — God  grant 
that  we  may  all  draw  near  to  God  through  Jesus 
Christ,  and  thus  attain  grace  in  this  world,  and 
in  the  world  to  come  life  everlasting ! 


312 


SERMON  XXL 

ON  THE  RESURRECTION  OF  THE  BODY. 
[preached  on  EASTER-DAY.] 


PHIL.  iii.  21. 

Who  shall  change  our  vile  body,  that  it  may  be 
fashioned  like  unto  his  glorious  body,  according  to  the 
working  whereby  he  is  able  even  to  subdue  all  things 
unto  himself. 

The  mind  is  naturally  desirous  of  inquiring  into 
the  changes  we  are  likely  to  undergo  in  the  dif- 
ferent stages  of  our  existence;  and,  indeed,  it 
even  becomes  a  duty  to  pursue  such  inquiries, 
since  the  hope  of  those  changes  is  held  out  to  us, 
that  we  may  learn  to  submit  with  cheerfulness  to 
exertions  and  self-denial ;  to  bear  the  hardships 
of  life  without  murmuring ;  to  trample  under 
foot  the  vanities  of  this  world,  and  to  fix  our  af- 
fections on  things  above. 

On  this  day,  dedicated  to  the  remembrance  of 
our  blessed  Saviour's  resurrection  from  the  dead, 
the  pledge  and  earnest  of  our  own,  I  feel  justified, 
therefore,  in  offering  to  your  consideration  a 
few  reflections  on  that  wonderful  change  which 
will  take  place,  when  **  this  corruptible"  shall 
have  ''put  on  incorruption,  and  this  mortal" 


ON  THE  RESURRECTION  OF  THE  BODY.  313 


shall  have  **put  on  immortality."  On  entering 
into  such  an  inquiry,  it  is  necessary  to  caution 
ourselves  against  indulging  the  vain  wanderings 
of  a  fanciful  imagination,  instead  of  adhering  to 
the  written  declarations  of  the  word  of  God,  the 
only  source  from  which  any  knowledge,  on  sub- 
jects relating  to  the  eternal  world,  can  really  be 
derived.  It  is  also  a  salutary  counsel,  that  in  all 
such  researches,  we  should  lift  up  our  hearts  to 
the  great  Fountain  of  Wisdom,  the  Lord  of  heaven 
and  earth,  beseeching  him  to  bless  our  feeble 
efforts  to  comprehend  his  goodness,  and  the 
glories  of  the  kingdom  which  he  has  prepared 
for  them  that  love  him.  So  will  those  endeavours 
promote  a  higher  love  to  his  name,  and  a  more 
fervent  desire  to  please  him  in  all  holy  obedience. 

In  considering  the  nature  of  this  change  in  the 
human  body,  in  the  successive  stages  of  its  ex- 
istence, we  may  first  remark,  that  every  thing  in 
this  fallen  world  carries  within  itself  the  principle 
of  its  own  dissolution.  All  things  degenerate  and 
perish  in  the  course  of  time.  The  spreading  oak 
loses  at  length  its  luxuriant  honours  :  the  trunk 
decays,  the  branches  wither,  and  it  exists  the 
outline  only  of  its  former  greatness.  Such  also 
is  the  gradual  destruction  of  the  human  body. 
Each  succeeding  year  robs  it  of  some  beauty, 
and  impresses  upon  it  some  mark  of  mournful 
decay.  The  strength  fails,  the  health  sinks,  the 
knees  totter,  the  spirits  flag,  the  courage  droops, 
the  fire  is  quenched,  the  vigour  gone.  But,  on 
the  other  hand,  we  may  observe,  that  the  power 
of  God  is  continually  exerted  to  renovate  his 
material  creation.    He  recals  the  sun ;  and  the 


314    ON  THE  RESURRECTION  OF  THE  BODY. 

world,  long  buried  in  the  grave  of  winter,  is  re- 
vived— and  spring,  in  all  the  freshness  of  youth, 
fills  every  heart  with  joy.  After  the  dreary  dark- 
ness of  night,  he  restores  to  us  the  light  of  morn- 
ing, to  rekindle  the  painted  landscape  ;  and  the 
gilded  scene  glitters  with  brightness,  and  all 
nature  awakes  to  life  and  animation.  If  we  ex- 
amine the  animal  world,  we  may  have  there  also 
the  continual  operation  of  the  same  renovating 
power.  We  see  the  almost  lifeless  egg  trans- 
formed into  a  creeping  insect,  and  endued  with 
perceptions  and  faculties,  which,  after  a  short 
season,  appear  to  be  extinguished  by  death.  But 
from  this  state  of  seeming  annihilation  we  again 
behold  it :  no  longer  crawling  upon  the  ground, 
but  soaring  in  the  air,  with  increased  beauty  and 
renovated  strength.  From  the  analogies  of  nature 
we  might,  therefore,  conclude  that  if  God  revives 
at  all  the  lifeless  body  of  man,  a  glorious  im- 
provement in  its  state  would  be  effected,  and  his 
Divine  agency  manifested  in  a  splendid  trans- 
formation from  death  to  life,  from  weakness  to 
power,  from  dishonour  to  glory.  And  Revelation 
confirms  this  natural  anticipation.  **  He  shall 
change  our  vile  body,"  says  the  Apostle,  *'  that 
it  may  be  fashioned  like  unto  his  glorious  body." 
What  expressions  are  these!  W^hat  sublime  views 
do  they  open!  What  glory  do  they  reveal !  '*Like 
unto  his  glorious  body."  Like  to  the  glorified 
body  of  the  Son  of  God,  in  which  he  appears  to 
the  blessed  angels ;  in  which  he  sits  exalted  on  the 
throne  of  heaven,  at  the  right  hand  of  God ! 
This  body,  when  St.  John  beheld  it,  was  bright 
with  light,  like  the  sun  shining  in  unclouded 


ON  THE  RESURRECTION  OF  THE  BODY.  315 

splendour, — a  body  worthy  of  the  person  and  the 
place, — like  his  own  Divine  nature,  incapable  of 
suffering,  not  exposed  to  decay,  clothed  with  efful- 
gence, so  that  even  heaven  itself  is  illumined  by 
its  splendour  !  That    city"  has    no  need  of  the 
sun,  neither  of  the  moon,  to  shine  in  it :  for  the 
glory  of  God  doth  lighten  it,  and  the  Lamb  is 
the  light  thereof!  " — Other  kings  and  potentates 
anxiously  appropriate  all  external  grandeur  to 
mark  the  distinction  between  their  subjects  and 
themselves :  they  array  themselves  in  gorgeous 
apparel  and  costly  magnificence,  and  endeavour 
to  awe  and  dazzle  the  rest  of  mankind  by  outward 
splendour :  but  the  King  of  kings  and  Lord  of 
lords,  high  in  that  essential  glory  which  no  ex- 
terior magnificence  can  augment,  and  which  no 
plainness  can  diminish,  distinguished  from  his 
subjects  as  the  beneficent  Source  of  whatever 
blessings  they  possess,  rejoices  to  communicate 
to  them  of  all  that  adorns  himself;  grace  for 
grace,  glory  for  glory,  bliss  for  bliss  !  "  Because 
he  lives,  they  shall  live  also ; "  because  he  reigns, 
they  reign  also !    He  rejoices  to  impart  his  own 
resemblance  to  them,  that  as  he  is  glorious  they 
may  partake  of  his  glory.    The  splendour  of  his 
kingdom  consists  in  the  splendour  of  his  subjects, 
and  in  the  profusion  of  that  bounty  from  which 
their  splendour  is  derived.    They  were  found  by 
him  poor,  and  wretched,  and  weak,  and  defiled, 
outcasts  from  the  dominion  of  God,  with  his  curse 
resting  upon  them.    But  when  the  work  of  his 
benevolence  is  completed,  he  shall  present  them 
unto  the  Father  as  a  ''glorious  church,  not  having 
spot,  or  wrinkle,  or  any  such  thing," — partaking 


316      ON  THE  RESUllRECTION  OF  THE  BODY. 

of  his  perfection,  resplendent  with  his  excel- 
lencies, and  arrayed  with  the  same  beauty  which 
adorns  and  exalts  the  Son  of  God.  Their  perfec- 
tion constitutes  his  glory.  And  how  is  this  per- 
fection attained  ?  It  is  by  rendering  them  con- 
formable to  his  own  image.  He  dwelt  amongst 
men  in  their  own  garb  of  flesh,  that  they  might 
see  and  imitate  him.  He  was  humble,  that  they 
might  learn  humility  from  him.  He  was  full  of 
tenderness,  that  they  might  be  filled  with  the 
same  compassion  and  disinterestedness.  He  was 
elevated  above  this  vain  and  sinful  world,  he 
conversed  continually  with  Heaven,  and  sought 
only  to  do  his  Father's  will,  that  they  might  learn 
from  him  to  die  to  the  world  and  live  to  God. 
He  forgave  all  injuries,  and  bore  with  patience  all 
sufferings,  that  they  might  learn  in  like  manner 
to  forgive  and  endure.  Thus  were  their  motives 
gradually  assimilated  to  his;  their  objects  to 
those  which  he  pursued,  and  their  conduct  to  his 
example.  But  in  many  the  conformity  did  not 
terminate  here  :  they  gloried  in  being  conformed 
even  to  his  sufferings,  and  died  as  martyrs  for  his 
sake.  Yet  the  most  perfect  resemblance  which 
his  disciples  could  attain  in  this  state  of  being  was 
incomplete.  Though  the  principles  which  he 
instilled  into  them  were  identified  with  those 
from  which  he  acted,  there  still  remained  an  in- 
finite distance  between  the  disciples  and  their 
Lord.  The  mighty  working  whereby  he  is  able 
to  subdue  all  things  unto  himself,"  could  not  fully 
operate  in  this  scene  of  humiliation.  They  had 
seen  their  suffering  Master,  but  they  were  yet  to 
behold  their  triumphant  Lord :  they  had  viewed 


ON  THE  RESURUECTION  OF  THE  BODY.  317 

him  hitherto  as  Man,  they  were  now  to  behold 
him  as  God  :  they  had  been  partakers  with  him 
in  his  humiliation,  they  were  now  to  triumph 
with  him  in  his  exaltation.  And,  as  before  they 
were  changed  into  his  image,  even  by  the  Spirit 
of  the  Lord ;  so  now,  beholding  his  image,  they 
are  made  like  unto  him  in  his  glory.  They  are  to 
be  like  him,  for  they  shall  see  him  as  he  is." 
By  beholding  his  glory,  glory  is  reflected  upon 
them :  by  viewing  his  perfections,  those  perfec- 
tions are  insensibly  communicated  to  them.  They 
gaze  and  admire  till  they  discover  in  themselves 
the  glorious  likeness  of  what  they  adore  in  him. 
"  Such  honour  have  all  his  saints." 

And  here  let  us  pause,  my  brethren,  to  contem- 
plate the  amazing  extent  of  this  change.  The 
body  had  been  laid  in  the  grave,  the  victim  of  the 
curse,  the  prisoner  of  death,  the  prey  of  worms, 
its  vanity  departed,  its  glory  extinguished  !  All 
was  dismal  solitude  and  hopeless  despair ;  when 
lo!  at  the  Saviour's  voice,  which  even  in  the  days 
of  his  flesh  called  Lazarus  from  the  tomb,  they 
spring  up  to  new  life,  they  burst  the  bars  of  the 
grave,  they  awake  with  every  faculty  renewed, 
exalted,  perfected :  they  see  their  Lord,  and  wear 
his  image.  What  power  less  than  Divine  could 
eflect  this  ?  But  the  power  of  Jesus  is  Divine. 
His  Divine  energy  subdueth  all  things  to  himself; 
and  to  Divine  Power  nothing  is  difficult,  nothing 
is  great,  nothing  is  impossible.  In  a  moment, 
in  the  twinkling  of  an  eye,"  they  awake  and  are 
changed.  Let  us  not  then,  my  brethren,  shudder 
to  be  laid  in  the  dark  mansions  of  the  tomb  :  let 
us  cheerfully  submit  to  the  dissolution  of  our 


318     ox  THE  RESURRECTION  OF  THE  BODY. 

frame,  the  pangs  of  dying,  the  loss  of  our  senses, 
and  the  temporary  separation  of  the  body  and  the 
soul.  Faith  vnW  dispose  us  to  regard  these  de- 
scending steps  of  humiliation,  as  steps  in  our 
progress  to  glory.  Let  our  thoughts  be  wholly 
fixed  on  the  infinite  power  and  the  boundless 
goodness  of  Christ,  and  upon  the  glory  to  which 
we  shall  ere  long  awake.  Oh,  beloved  Saviour ! 
how  are  we  indebted  to  thee !  How  does  thy 
name  disarm  death  of  its  sting,  and  the  grave  of 
its  horror  !  How  are  we  indebted  to  thy  good- 
ness for  all  we  have  or  hope  for !  In  thee  we 
place  our  whole  trust  and  confidence :  and  who 
would  not  joyfully  resign  himself  to  death,  know- 
ing that  it  is  the  appointed  means  of  beholding 
thee  face  to  face,  and  participating  in  thy  glory  ? 

The  particulars  in  which  this  great  change 
consists  are  thus  described  in  Scripture :  this 
corruptible  puts  on  incorruption  ;  this  jnortal  puts 
on  mmortality ;  this  natural  body  becomes  a 
spiritual  body ;  and  the  bodi/  of  sin  is  renewed  in 
righteousness. 

1.  This  corruptible  shall  put  on  incon^uption. — I 
would  not  presume  to  depreciate  the  body  which 
God  has  created.  It  is  a  fabric  contrived  with 
consummate  skill,  to  answer  the  purposes  for 
which  it  is  designed.  But  it  was  not  intended  to 
be  perfect ;  and  after  the  Fall  it  was  doomed  to 
corruption  and  death,  as  the  just  consequence  of 
its  condemnation.  I  would  speak  with  reverence 
of  every  work  of  God,  and  particularly  of  this 
which  so  much  illustrates  his  power  and  wisdom. 
Yet,  after  all,  it  is  a  corrupt  body,  it  is  a  vile 
body  ; or,  as  the  original  expresses  it,  a  body  of 


ON  THE  RESURRECTION  OF  THE  BODY.  319 

humiliation ;  and  carries  within  it  the  seeds  of 
decay.  It  becomes  the  receptacle  of  disease.  By 
its  very  construction  it  tends  to  dissolution.  It  is 
soon  disordered,  and  affects  by  sympathy  the 
mind  which  is  the  partner  of  its  burdens.  At 
length  it  falls  a  victim  to  its  inherent  corruption. 
Disease  exhausts  its  power,  and  it  sinks  into  the 
grave.  But  the  renewed  body  shall  be  incorrup- 
tible : — there  shall  be  found  no  seeds  of  decay — 
no  gross  corporeal  particles,  no  liability  to  disease, 
and  no  tendency  to  dissolution.  It  shall  be  con- 
trived by  the  power  of  God  to  endure  uncon- 
sumed  by  the  ravages  of  time,  unexhausted  by 
fatigue,  independent  either  of  medicine  or  rest : 
like  the  soul,  its  glorious  companion,  it  will  bloom 
in  perpetual  youth  and  flourish  in  imperishable 
vigour.  To  the  power  of  God  nothing  is  impos- 
sible. He  can  create  an  incorruptible  body, 
possessing  in  itself  the  principle  of  its  own  re- 
newal and  increasing  perfection,  with  the  same 
ease  that  he  can  create  a  perishable  frame  tend- 
ing to  its  own  gradual  and  rapid  decay. 

2.  In  like  manner  this  mortal  shall  put  07i  im- 
mortality. — An  irreversible  sentence  has  doomed 
this  body  to  death.  The  execution  of  this  sentence 
may  for  a  little  while  be  suspended,  by  vigilance, 
care,  or  the  art  of  medicine  ;  but  at  length,  all 
science  and  attention  fails,  all  struggles  are  use- 
less, and  the  grand  destroyer  takes  possession  of 
his  victim.  Then  every  earthly  hope  and  interest 
is  extinct.  Death  arrests  all  improvement;  it 
checks  our  progress  towards  perfection;  it  dis- 
solves the  most  tender  alliances,  and  breaks  up 
all  the  plans  of  life.  To  be  perfect,  therefore,  we 


320    ON  THE  RESURRECTION  OF  THE  BODY. 

must  be  immortal— and  in  the  life  to  come  that 
immortality  will  be  given  us.  There  we  have  not 
to  dread  a  violent  termination  to  good  and  great 
designs — a  sudden  extinction  of  knowledge  ac- 
quired and  digested  with  anxiety  and  labour. 
We  may  then  anticipate  ages  after  ages  rolling 
on  in  endless  succession.  We  may  conceive  de- 
signs, not  such  as  the  scanty  limits  of  a  life  which 
is  but  a  span  will  allow,  but  plans  commensurate 
to  boundless  existence  and  endless  ages.  Every 
thing  will  be  grand,  because  every  thing  will  be 
eternal,  and  partake  of  the  grandeur  of  eternity. 
An  immortal  life  consumed  in  holy  designs  affords 
scope  for  all  that  is  great  and  sublime  :  for  infi- 
nite enlargement  and  perfection ;  for  boundless 
good,  and  immeasurable  glory. 

3.  But,  thirdly,  this  body  must  undergo  an 
entire  change. — It  is  now  natural,  or  material ;  it 
must  become  spiritual,  A  natural  body  is  gross, 
dependent  upon  matter  for  its  subsistence,  need- 
ing continually  supplies  of  material  food  ;  seeing, 
and  hearing,  and  speaking,  and  perceiving  through 
the  medium  of  corporeal  substances ;  and  even 
thinking,  desiring,  hoping,  and  fearing  by  the 
agency  of  perishable  matter.  But  flesh  and  blood 
are  too  gross,  too  earthly  to  find  entrance  into 
that  kingdom  where  every  thing  is  pure,  perfect, 
and  imperishable.  Hence,  a  spiritual  body  will 
be  prepared  by  the  power  of  God,  suited  to  a 
spiritual  world.  It  will  see,  but  not  by  rays  of 
light  received  into  a  material  eye :  it  will  think 
and  feel,  but  not  by  material  organs.  Instant 
communication,  rapid  conception,  uninterrupted 
intercourse  will  be  required  and  enjoyed.  The 


ON  THE  RESURRECTION  OF  THE  BODY^  321 

spiritual  body  will  be  all  sense,  all  feeling — space 
and  time,  distance  and  absence,  will  then  inter- 
rupt no  more  the  communion  of  saints.  Their 
pleasures  will  be  purely  spiritual,  adapted  to  a 
spiritual  kingdom ;  to  that  kingdom  where  all 
is  intellectual,  and  where  no  objects  of  sense 
debase  or  distract  the  mind. 

5.  But  great  as  are  these  perfections,  they 
would  all  be  perverted,  or  become  useless,  were 
there  not  still  a  farther  change :  the  body  of  sin 
shall  be  clothed  in  righteousness. 

Righteousness  is  the  just  and  right  constitution 
of  the  mind,  pursuing  things  excellent  according 
to  the  degree  in  which  they  are  so,  and  conform- 
ing itself  to  the  image  of  the  holy  God.  Now, 
sense  is  the  grand  inlet  to  temptation — the  me- 
dium of  what  is  vile  and  corrupt.   The  judgment 
here  often  approves  what  the  will,  disordered  by 
sense,  does  not  choose.    And  this  vile  body  has 
been  so  long  tainted  by  sin,  and  has  so  parti- 
cipated in  the  corruption  of  the  fallen  soul,  that 
we  need  a  holy  and  spiritual  body — a  body  re- 
newed in  righteousness  after  the  image  of  him 
who  created  it.    We  shall  awake  then  with  this 
new  body,  perfect  in  righteousness ;  without  a 
desire  which  is  not  excellent,  without  a  feeling 
which  is  not  pure.    The  will,  then,  will  be  the 
inseparable  companion  of  the  judgment ;  choosing 
and  loving  what  the  judgment  approves.  The 
judgment  will  be  enlightened  and  correct ;  disco- 
vering with  unerring  certainty  what  is  right  and 
holy.   The  imagination,  purified  from  all  disorder 
and  extravagance,  will  combine  its  enchanting 
power  with  the  judgment  to  display  every  thing 

VOL.  II.  Y 


322     ox  THE  RESURRECTION-  OF  THE  BODY. 

good  in  its  true  and  brilliant  colours.  The  memory^ 
faithful  to  its  trust  and  to  its  God,  will  receive  no 
impressions  which  are  corrupt,  and  retain  for  ever 
all  that  are  excellent.  The  sanctified  affections 
will  be  fixed  only  on  what  is  pure :  we  shall  love 
with  an  intense  ardour  whatever  is  the  object  of 
DiWne  approbation  :  we  shall  rejoice  ^sHth  a  joy  as 
pure  as  that  of  angels,  in  every  thing  that  is  holy. 
Every  affection,  every  faculty  of  the  soul,  will 
harmonise  \^Hth  the  will  of  the  Saviour :  every 
power  be  consecrated  to  his  service :  "  where  he 
is,  there  we  shall  be  also : "  we  shall  dwell  in  his 
presence,  and  continually  communicate  with  him, 
and,  beholding  his  glory,  shall  be  transformed 
into  his  image.  But  the  mind  is  lost  in  the  mere 
contemplation  of  the  grandeur  and  completeness 
of  the  change.  Hitherto,  we  have  seen  nothing 
complete.  Here  the  very  best  things  are  imper- 
fect ;  there  the  ver^-  lowest  are  perfect.  But  I 
dare  not  proceed  :  "  Eye  hath  not  seen,  nor  ear 
heard,  neither  have  entered  into  the  heart  of  man 
the  things  which  God  hath  prepared  for  them 
that  love  him.'' 

Such  happiness,  such  glory,  my  brethren,  do 
we  owe  to  the  Saviour  who  died  for  us  and  rose 
again.  Such  was  the  joy  he  had  in  view,  when  he 

endured  the  cross  despising  the  shame."  Oh, 
what  heart  can  conceive  the  extent  of  our  obli- 
gation to  him  !  Would  to  God  that  I  could  say, 
that  all  acknowledged  and  felt  this  obligation  ; 
but  many,  alas!  think  lightly  of  his  blessed  work, 
of  his  sufterings,  and  of  the  glorious  kingdom 
which  that  work  and  those  sufierings  have  pro- 
cured for  us.    They  neglect  him,  and  therefore 


ON  THE  RESURRFXTION  OF  THE  BODY.  323 

can  have  no  share  in  his  great  salvation.    Oh ! 
dreadful  infatuation,  that  blessings  so  infinite,  so 
permanent,  purchased  by  the  sufferings  and  death 
of  the  Son  of  God,  should  be  all  forfeited  because 
we  do  not  desire  or  seek  them  !  My  brethren,  let 
not  this  folly  be  yours.  Oh !  set  before  yourselves 
the  immeasurable  joys,  the  glorious  life,  v^^hich  I 
have  been  feebly  endeavouring  to  describe.  Im- 
press upon  your  minds  the  important  reflection, 
that  this  great  change  must  be  begun  here,  to  be 
perfected  above.    Here  are  to  be  found  all  the 
elements  of  the  happiness,  the  glory,  the  holiness 
of  heaven :  here  is  begun  that  conformity  to  Christ, 
in  which  the  very  essence  of  the  change  consists. 
As  in  the  transformation  of  the  insect,  the  wings, 
the  limbs,  the  organs,  already  folded  up  and  ex- 
isting in  embryo,  require  only  to  be  expanded  and 
displayed  ;  so  all  that  the  glorified  spirit  enjoys  is 
possessed  here,  though  in  a  lower  measure  by  the 
real  Christian.   He  requires  only  to  be  delivered 
from  what  is  gross  and  corporeal,  in  order  that  his 
spiritual  graces  may  be  fully  expanded  and  brought 
into  action.    He  enjoys,  even  here,  that  faint  re- 
semblance to  Christ  crucified,  which  is  the  foun- 
dation of  all  the  rest :  the  faith,  and  love,  the  spi- 
ritual joy  and  hope,  the  taste  for  what  is  excellent, 
the  desire  of  what  is  pure,  are  all  found,  though  in 
an  imperfect  degree,  even  in  this  world.  Let  these, 
through  the  power  of  Christ  their  Author,  be 
developed  and  expanded,  and  the  man  becomes 
an  angel.  The  union  to  Christ,  begun  here,  when 
perfected  above,  completes  the  work,  and  the  saint 
is  fitted  for  the  society  of  heaven.    O,  then,  my 
brethren,  of  what  infinite  importance  is  it  that  we 

y  2 


324     ox  THE  RESURRECTION'  OF  THE  BODY. 

now  labour  after  that  sacred  image ;  that  we  cleave 
to  Christ,  that  we  become  partakers  of  his  grace, 
that  we  be  united  to  him  by  a  living  faith  !  Let 
this  cheer  you  that  are  devout  servants  of  Christ, 
amidst  the  difficulties  of  your  pilgrimage ;  remem- 
ber that  you  are  sowing  the  seed  of  an  eternal 
harvest,  that  you  are  becoming  incorporated  with 
him  who  is  the  Life  and  the  Truth,  and  that  you 
will  one  day  reign  with  him  in  his  everlasting 
kingdom. 

And  let  me  not  conclude  this  discourse,  without 
calling  upon  you  afresh  to  offer  up  your  gratitude 
and  adoration  to  that  Saviour  to  whose  resurrec- 
tion we  owe  so  much.  "  Because  he  lives,  we  shall 
live  also ;  **  because  he  rose  from  the  dead,  we 
shall  rise  also.  He  is  the  source  of  all  life,  and 
hope,  and  joy.  Well  may  the  praise  due  to  him 
be  eternal,  since  the  obligations  are  infinite.  Let 
our  eye  and  our  heart,  then,  be  ever  directed  to 
him ;  and  let  us  here  begin  that  continual  ascrip- 
tion of  praise  which  is  the  grand,  the  most  de- 
lightful, employment  of  the  spirits  of  just  men 
made  perfect. 


325 


SERMON  XXIL 

THE  christian's  PRIVILEGES. 
1  COR.  iii.  21 — 23. 

All  things  are  yours :  whether  Paul,  or  Apollos, 
or  Cephas,  or  the  wor  ld,  or  life,  or  death,  or  things 
present,  or  things  to  come :  all  are  yours,  and  ye 
are  Christ's,  and  Christ  is  God's, 

It  is  useful  as  well  as  curious  to  observe,  under 
what  different  aspects  the  world  and  the  circum- 
stances of  the  present  life  are  surveyed  by  different 
persons.  The  politician  considers  the  world  as 
the  scene  of  political  changes :  he  contemplates 
the  laws  of  civil  society,  the  state  of  parties,  the 
resources  and  power  of  princes,  and  the  stability 
or  decline  of  governments.  The  soldier  regards 
it  as  the  field  of  war :  he  estimates  the  powers  of 
annoyance  or  means  of  defence  which  a  country 
possesses.  Men  are,  in  his  sight,  mere  instru- 
ments to  be  used  in  the  struggle  for  glory :  re- 
nown in  arms  is  life  in  his  estimation,  and  to  die 
in  the  field  is  to  sleep  in  the  bed  of  honour.  The 
man  of  business  considers  the  world  as  the  place 
for  the  acquisition  of  wealth :  he  calculates  the 
opportunities  it  offers  for  commercial  enterprize, 
values  time  with  reference  to  the  returns  of  his 
capital  and  the  progress  of  his  speculations,  and 


326       THE  christian's  privileges. 

confounds  life  itself  with  the  means  of  providing 
what  is  necessary  for  its  support.  The  gay  and 
dissolute  estimate  life  by  its  pleasures  and  amuse- 
ments :  the  world  is  the  theatre  of  enjoyment,  and 
time  is  measured  by  the  round  of  diversions  it 
enables  them  to  pursue.  The  unhappy  man,  on 
the  other  hand,  sees  in  the  world  nothing  but 
sorrow  and  calamity :  life  with  him  is  the  capa- 
city for  suffering,  and  time  is  the  measure  of  grief. 
He  looks  forward  to  death  as  the  termination  at 
least  of  present  sorrows,  whatever  be  the  fate  of 
man  hereafter. 

It  may,  however,  be  observed,  that  men  in 
general  do  not  form  such  estimates  of  life  as  I 
have  here  stated,  purely  and  abstractedly  ;  for 
their  views,  as  their  dispositions,  are  generally 
mixed  and  compounded.  Thus  the  man  of  busi- 
ness, when  unsuccessful  in  his  pursuits,  will  com- 
bine with  his  habitual  views  of  life  as  the  scene  of 
gain,  a  melancholy  persuasion  that  it  is  the  scene 
of  disappointment  also,  and  will  thus  too  often 
cherish  that  worldly  sorrow  which  terminates  in 
despair  and  death. 

I  need  not  remark  to  you,  my  brethren,  that 
each  of  the  estimates  of  life  which  I  have  noticed 
is  essentially  erroneous.  The  word  of  God  affords 
the  only  criterion  by  which  we  can  form  a  just 
judgment  of  the  world.  For  as  God  alone  can 
take  a  general  survey  of  the  whole  extent  of  hu- 
man affairs,  he  only  is  exempt  from  those  errors 
into  which  we  are  continually  betrayed  by  our 
partial  views  and  our  very  imperfect  comprehen- 
sion of  the  little  we  are  permitted  to  see.  In  each 
of  the  cases  to  which  I  have  referred,  the  influence 


THE  christian's  PRIVILEGES.  327 

of  this  source  of  error  may  be  distinctly  per- 
ceived. But  when  we  derive  from  the  Scriptures 
our  judgment  of  this  life,  we  are  taught  to  enlarge 
our  views,  to  consider  the  relation  in  which  we 
stand  to  God,  and  which  the  present  life  bears  to 
our  future  and  eternal  existence.  The  Bible 
directs  us  to  take  into  consideration  the  fallen 
state  of  man,  the  designs  of  God  towards  him,  the 
means  used  by  the  Redeemer  for  his  restoration, 
and  the  final  glory  and  happiness  for  which  he  is 
now  in  a  state  of  preparation.  It  thus  gives  to 
the  world,  and  to  life  and  death,  a  new  aspect ; 
and  places  their  nature,  their  character,  and  their 
importance,  upon  a  ground  entirely  different  from 
every  other. 

Instructed,  therefore,  by  the  light  of  Scripture, 
the  Christian  looks  upon  himself  and  all  his 
fellow-mortals  as  fallen  beings  living  in  a  world 
which  lies  under  a  heavy  curse,  and  which,  com- 
pared with  its  former  perfect  form,  may  justly  be 
styled  a  state  of  ruin — a  state  in  which  therefore 
there  is  necessarily  found  confusion,  misery,  and 
disappointment,  and  in  which  evil  in  all  its  various 
shapes  is  continually  producing  death  as  the  na- 
tural termination  of  a  short  and  painful  existence. 
He  considers  the  moral  ruin  of  the  soul  as  still 
more  lamentable  in  its  nature  and  consequences 
than  that  of  the  external  state  of  things  :  he  be- 
holds the  understanding  disordered,  the  judgment 
perverted,  the  affections  degraded,  the  heart  har- 
dened, the  conscience  stupified,  the  image  of  God 
lost,  the  soul  a  miserable  captive  to  sin  and  Satan. 
But  by  the  same  Divine  light  the  Christian  dis- 
covers that  God,  in  his  great  mercy,  has  not  left 


328         THE  christian's  privileges. 

his  creatures  in  this  forlorn  state  ;  that  he  has 
formed,  and  sent  his  Son  into  the  world  to  execute, 
a  plan  for  their  complete  restoration  to  happiness 
and  eternal  glory;  that  God,  who  cannot  lie,  has 
given  the  promise  of  salvation  to  those  who  be- 
lieve in  this  great  Redeemer ;  that,  being  thus 
reconciled  to  God  through  the  blood  of  his  Son, 
he  regards  them  as  his  children,  and  will  defend 
and  protect  them  from  every  danger.  The 
Christian  is  therefore  taught,  though  he  must 
still  live  in  the  world  as  in  an  enemy's  country, 
and  still  be  subject  to  many  perils  and  great  dif- 
ficulties, yet  that  God  will  cause  all  things  to 
work  together  for  his  good,  turning  even  his  sor- 
rows into  blessings,  till  he  and  all  the  redeemed 
people  of  God  shall  at  length  be  made  more  than 
conquerors  over  every  evil,  and  enter  into  the 
long-desired  possession  of  eternal  rest  and  glory. 

Every  Christian,  therefore,  views  the  present 
world  not  merely  as  it  is  in  itself,  but  as  it  is 
connected  with  this  great  plan  of  salvation  in 
Jesus  Christ.  It  is  the  error  of  other  men,  in 
forming  their  estimate  of  life,  to  confine  their 
thoughts  to  what  they  observe  in  the  present 
state  of  existence  :  it  is  the  wisdom  of  a  Christian 
to  extend  his  view,  and  to  consider  life  in  con- 
nection with  that  glorious  salvation  which  appears, 
in  his  eyes,  the  one  and  great  concern  to  which 
every  thing  else  should  be  made  subservient. 
The  world  in  itself  presents  a  scene  of  never-ending 
changes  and  revolutions,  of  feuds  and  bloodshed, 
at  which  the  heart  sickens ;  of  insatiable  desires 
and  unwearied  struggles  for  wealth  ;  of  follies 
ever  varying,  and  endless  vanities  still  renewing; 


THE  christian's  PRIVILEGES.  329 

of  miseries  and  sorrows,  disappointments  and 
anguish,  following  the  steps  of  man  as  his  inse- 
parable attendants.    But  in  what  light  does  it 
appear  as  connected  with  the  salvation  of  the 
soul  ?  Its  aspect  is  totally  changed  :  it  becomes 
a  school  of  discipline  in  which  God  places  the 
heirs  of  salvation  for  their  improvement  and 
growth  in  grace ;  in  which  their  evil  passions  are 
corrected,  and  the  low  and  sordid  desires  of  their 
nature  exchanged  for  pure  and  noble  principles  ; 
where  the  troubles  of  the  world  are  sanctified, 
and  converted  into  trials  of  their  proficiency  and 
means  for  their  further  progress.    It  becomes  a 
theatre  of  instruction,  in  which  are  continually 
exhibited  striking  examples  of  the  truth  and  ex- 
cellency of  God  s  precepts,  the  vanity  of  earthly 
pursuits,  and  the  folly  and  evil  of  sin. — It  be- 
comes a  scene  for  the  display  of  the  bounty  and 
goodness  of  God  to  those  whom  Christ  has  re- 
ceived as  his  disciples.    For  them  all  the  various 
means  of  religious  improvement  are  provided  ;  to 
them  support  is  given  under  every  trial ;  to  them 
innumerable  promises  of  Divine  help  are  af- 
forded; the  Spirit  is  imparted  from  above  for 
them ;  in  their  behalf  the  Son  intercedes  in  the 
court  of  Heaven,  and  death  itself  is  but  a  friendly 
messenger  to  convey  their  souls  to  everlasting 
glory. 

Such  was  the  view  of  life  which  the  Apostle 
entertained,  when  he  reminded  the  believing 
Corinthians  of  the  privileges  they  enjoyed.  All 
things  are  yours ;"  for  your  use,  your  benefit,  or 
your  improvement;  whether  Paul,  or  ApoUos, 
or  Cephas,  or  the  world,  or  life,  or  death,  or 


330  THE  CHftlSTIAN's  PRIVILEGES. 

things  present,  or  things  to  come  :  all  are  yours, 
and  ye  are  Christ's,  and  Christ  is  God's." 

To  elucidate  these  words  further,  it  will  be 
necessary  to  examine  more  in  detail  the  particu- 
lars of  which  they  consist ;  but  I  must  first  pre- 
mise, that,  in  order  to  form  a  right  judgment  in 
spiritual  things,  the  mind  itself  must  be  spiritual. 
If,  in  your  estimate  of  good  and  evil,  you  adopt 
the  opinions  of  the  world,  and  those  views  which 
are  indeed  natural  to  all  men,  your  judgment  will 
infallibly  be  wrong  :  you  will  call  evil  good, 
and  good  evil ;  and  put  light  for  darkness,  and 
darkness  for  light ;  bitter  for  sweet,  and  sweet 
for  bitter."  If  you  would  understand  the  full 
meaning  of  the  Apostle's  language,  you  must 
therefore  entirely  lay  aside  all  worldly  ideas ;  all 
the  views  of  ambition,  of  policy,  of  avarice,  of 
pride  :  you  must  abstract  yourself  from  the 
world  and  the  corrupt  passions  of  man.  You 
must  esteem  the  favour  and  approbation  of  God 
the  only  real  good ;  the  progress  of  the  soul  in 
holiness,  and  conformity  to  his  image,  the  only 
true  advancement ;  the  eternal  inheritance  above, 
the  only  real  possession ;  and  the  life  to  come, 
which  will  endure  through  millions- of  ages,  when 
this  vain  world  and  all  its  empty  scenes  will  have 
long  been  forgotten,  as  the  only  existence  which 
deserves  the  name  of  life.  The  body  must  be 
uniformly  considered  but  as  the  temporary  abode 
of  the  soul :  eternity  must  be  preferred  to  time, 
and  things  spiritual  to  things  temporal.  That, 
and  that  alone,  must  be  esteemed  really  good, 
which  promotes  our  growth  in  grace  and  the 
salvation  of  the  soul.    In  a  word,  every  thing 


THE  christian's  PRIVILEGES.  331 

must  be  regarded  as  it  is  subservient  to  our 
eternal  interests,  and  the  only  value  of  life  itself 
must  be  placed  in  its  subserviency  to  this  end. 
When  your  views  are  thus  purified,  when,  ac- 
cording to  the  language  of  Scripture,  the  Gospel 
is  the  pearl  of  great  price  in  your  esteem,  and 
you  prefer  Christ  to  father,  mother,  brother, 
sister,  house  or  land;  when,  for  his  sake,  you 
see  it  most  reasonable  to  make  every  sacrifice, 
to  pluck  out  the  right  eye  or  cut  off  the  right 
hand  ;  then  only  are  you  prepared  to  feel  the 
force  of  the  Apostle's  reasoning,  and  to  enter 
into  the  views  which  animated  his  mind  in  de- 
livering it. 

Then  you  will  see,  that  if  you  are  Christ's, 
all  things'''  are  yours.  You  will  behold  such  a 
rich  display  of  the  Divine  goodness  in  the  dis- 
pensation of  the  Gospel ;  such  a  provision  for  all 
your  spiritual  wants ;  such  a  subserviency  of  the 
order  and  administration  of  this  world  to  the  in- 
terests of  your  souls,  that  you  will  clearly  per- 
ceive that  the  same  beneficent  Mind  which  has 
prepared  heaven  for  the  abode  of  the  blessed, 
has  also  ordered  and  disposed  this  world  for  the 
use  and  advantage  of  his  redeemed  people,  and, 
with  a  view  to  their  final  and  perfect  happiness 
above,  has  given  them  the  real  use  and  the  fullest 
enjoyment  of  all  things  even  here. 

Then,  also,  will  you  discover  that  the  ministers 
of  religion  are  yours,  whether  Paul,  or  Apolios, 
or  Cephas''  Their  office  was  ordained  by  God 
for  your  improvement  in  spiritual  knowledge  and 
grace.  An  awful  responsibility  lies  upon  them ; 
for  they  are  to  answer  in  a  certain  sense  for  your 


332        THE  christian's  privileges. 

souls.  They  are  warned  and  exhorted,  therefore, 
by  every  alarming  and  affecting  consideration,  to 
declare  to  you  the  whole  counsel  of  God ;  to  set 
before  you  life  and  death ;  to  exhibit  the  light  of 
truth,  and  to  admonish  the  sinner  of  his  evil  ways. 
For  your  sake  were  given  the  various  talents  and 
capacities  they  possess,  the  miraculous  powers  of 
Cephas,  the  eloquence  of  Apollos,  the  zeal  and 
love  of  Paul :  to  your  advantage  their  studies  are 
directed,  and  their  labours  and  prayers  employed. 
Though  in  one  sense  the  ambassadors  of  God,  they 
are  in  another  but  servants  to  you,  attending  con- 
tinually upon  this  very  thing,  and  living  for  your 
improvement. 

Hence  we  may  learn  the  folly  of  ranging  our- 
selves in  parties  under  the  standard  of  men,  as  if 
they,  instead  of  Christ,  were  our  leaders.  When 
one  saith,  I  am  of  Paul,"  and  another,  I  of 
Apollos,"  how  low  and  degraded  an  idea  has  each 
of  his  true  state  and  privileges!  **Who,  then,  is 
Paul,  or  who  is  Apollos,"  but  ministers  sent  by 
the  great  Lord  and  Head  of  the  church,  to  feed 
the  flock  which  he  has  purchased  with  his  own 
blood  ?  Learn  to  consider  yourselves  as  the  flock 
of  Christ  only.  Call  no  man  on  earth  master,  for 
your  Master  is  above,  reigning  in  the  courts  of 
heaven ;  and  this  is  your  glory,  that  you  are 
called  by  his  Name,  and  not  by  the  name  of  any 
frail  mortal.  Yet  how  has  the  Christian  world 
been  divided,  and  its  peace  destroyed,  by  the 
adoption  of  the  names  and  tenets  of  particular 
ministers,  as  the  badges  of  different  parties  in 
the  Church  !  I  am  of  Calvin,  and  I  of  Arminius, 
and  I  of  Luther !  Would  to  God  that  it  had  been 


THE  christian's  PRIVILEGES.  333 

always  remembered,  that  Christians  are  of  Christ 
alone ;  and  that  all  ministers  are  weak  and  fallible 
men,  whose  office  is  only  to  direct  the  minds  of 
men  to  the  knowledge  and  love  of  Jesus  Christ 
and  his  Gospel. 

But  as  ministers  are  yours,  so  also  are  the 
world,  and  life,  and  things  present." — Yours  is  the 
world.  It  is  intended  for  your  use,  it  is  adorned 
for  your  enjoyment.  The  world  was  never  formed 
to  gratify  the  purposes  of  ambition ;  that  warriors 
might  parcel  it  out  to  raise  themselves  a  name, 
and  mark  out  its  boundaries  by  the  blood  of  its 
inhabitants.  It  was  not  created  to  satiate  the 
lust  of  wealth,  to  minister  to  pride,  to  gratify  a 
sordid  avarice  and  selfish  joy.  It  was  not  designed 
by  its  great  Author  to  be  a  scene  of  dissipation 
and  unhallowed  pleasure  ;  nor,  on  the  other  hand, 
to  be  an  abode  of  woe  and  wretchedness.  The 
world  is  abused  whenever  it  is  used  for  these  pur- 
poses. But  yours  is  the  world,  who  use  it  for 
those  ends  for  which  its  gracious  Creator  formed 
it ;  who  survey  its  delightful  scenery,  its  moun- 
tains, its  valleys,  its  rivers,  and  feel  that  they  are 
yours  because  they  were  made  by  him  who  is 
your  Father.  The  world  is  yours,  who  receive 
the  bounty  of  heaven  with  a  thankful  heart,  and 
employ  it,  as  God  has  intended,  to  your  own 
lawful  advantage  and  the  good  of  others.  The 
world  is  yours,  to  enjoy  it  with  moderation, 
thankful  for  the  conveniences  it  affords  you  while 
a  pilgrim  and  a  stranger  in  it,  in  your  way  to  a 
better  and  heavenly  country.  The  world  is  yours, 
who  enjoy  the  blessing  of  God  upon  all  your  pos- 
sessions and  occupations  in  it,  and  possess  in  your 


334  TH£  CHRISTIAN  S  PEIV11XC£S. 

souls  the  peace  of  God  wUch  pi«M»tK  mD  nder- 
standing.  That  peace  will  gild  erery  gloomy  scene, 
and  enable  you  to  submit  to  the  tiials  ttf  the 
woildwithiesignaticNi;  knowing  Aat "  aD  things 
shall  woik  together  for  good  to  them  that  lore 
God,'' and  Ifaaf  these  1^  afflictions,  which  aie 
but  for  a  moment,  work  for  us  a  &r  more  en- 
duiii^  and  eteoial  weight  of  g^ory.'^ 

is  youiB  also. — Yoa  hxte  the  true  enjoy- 
ment of  it,  who  consider  it  but  as  a  shmt  intoral 
allotted  to  you  for  the  purpose  of  woridng  out 
your  sahratian.  You  aie  wdQ  aware  lhaft  a  man's 
fife  consisteth  not  in  the  abundance  of  things  he 
possesses,  but  in  obedience  to  the  will  of  God 
and  in  the  enjoyment  of  Ms  presence.  To  lire  is, 
in  your  estimation,  to  dtscJtaige  consrientioudy 
the  duties  of  your  statifm;  to  watdi  diiigenlly 
oier  the  state  of  your  minds;  to  mortify  and 
subdue  every  eril  temper  and  oomipt  pasaon ;  to 
employ  your  time,  your  influence,  and  your  talenis 
in  promoting  the  glory  of  God  and  the  good  of 
your  fidkiw-creatures ;  to  maintam  communion 
in  yvur  soul  with  the  Father,  the  Son,  and  xhe 
Spiiit ;  to  adTanoe  daily  in  the  knowledge  of  ti^e 
truth,  and  be  in  some  measure  better  prepared 
to  participate  in  the  enqiloymentB  of  the  blessed 
spirits  abovok.  This  is  life;  fiN*  this  is  the  trwe 
eiqoyment  of  it.  He  who  OHWidgrs  life  in  this 
Ticw,  andeniploysitdnB,  win  exjoy  a  true  peace 
of  soul,  becansehisezislence  win  be  employed  to 
the  noblest  purposes — the  most  mefiifiy  to  others 
and  the  mosA  admtageoosly  to  hinwrit  bccaase 
ke  win  fire  W  the  way  wkidi  the  Lord  of  life  has 
prescribed  to  his  creatares. 


THE  CHRISTFAN's  PRIVILEGES.  335 

Things  present — that  is,  all  the  occurrences  you 
meet  with  in  the  world,  all  the  several  events  in 
life — are  yours.  Many  of  them  may,  indeed,  upon 
a  hasty  glance,  appear  disastrous ;  and  you  may 
adopt  the  language  of  the  patriarch,  "  All  these 
things  are  against  me."       How,"  you  exclaim, 

can  the  injurious  reports  of  calumny,  the  ag- 
gressions of  insolence,  the  abuses  of  power,  the 
attacks  of  disease,  the  loss  of  friends,  be  ever  for 
my  advantage  ?  "  Yes,  if  you  judge  upon  right 
principles  ;  if  you  value  growth  in  grace  more 
than  any  temporal  enjoyment ;  if  you  regard  sub- 
mission and  patience  under  suffering  as  highly 
acceptable  to  your  God  and  Father  ;  if  you  feel 
the  necessity  of  weaning  your  affections  from  the 
world  and  fixing  them  upon  things  above ;  if,  in 
a  word,  you  have  respect  to  the  greatness  and 
duration  of  the  world  to  come,  and  regard  every 
thing  here  as  good  or  bad  only  as  it  respects  your 
eternal  interests  ; — then  you  may  welcome  with  a 
holy  tranquillity  the  evils  of  life,  and,  with  the 
Apostle,  count  it  all  joy  when  you  fall  into 
divers  temptations,  knowing  that  the  trying  of 
your  faith  worketh  patience." 

In  the  same  view,  things  to  come  are  yours. — If 
we  restrict  these  words  to  the  events  which  may 
befal  us  during  our  continuance  in  this  transitory 
life,  this  is  our  sure  consolation,  that  however 
adverse  they  may  prove,  in  the  common  accepta- 
tion of  the  word,  they  will  be  under  the  direction 
of  our  Heavenly  Father.  Here  we  are  at  anchor, 
amidst  the  tempests  which  agitate  this  unstable 
world.  We  know  not  what  may  befal  us ;  but  of 
this  we  are  aware,  that     man  is  born  to  trouble 


336         THE  christian's  privileges. 

as  the  sparks  fly  upward."  But  no  event  can 
happen  by  chance— none  but  what  is  wisely  ap- 
pointed— none  under  which  we  shall  not  receive 
Divine  support,  if  we  humbly  seek  it — none  which 
will  not  eventually  prove  for  our  advantage,  when 
our  advantage  is  rightly  understood.  This  is  the 
eminent  security  which  a  real  Christian  enjoys. 
His  mind  is  kept  in  perfect  peace,  because  it  is 
stayed  upon  God.  He  has  learnt  to  pray  from 
his  heart  that  the  will  of  God  may  be  done ;  and 
he  therefore  leaves  every  event  to  be  directed  by 
Him  on  whose  wisdom  and  goodness  he  reposes 
with  filial  confidence  and  unshaken  tranquillity. — 
But  things  to  come  may  be  understood  in  a  larger 
sense :  we  may  extend  our  view  of  them  through 
countless  ages,  and  behold  the  whole  series  of 
events  ordered  and  directed  by  the  Lord  of  the 
Universe  for  the  benefit  and  consolation  of  his 
people. 

This  will  further  appear,  if  we  reflect  that  even 
death  is  yours,  if  ye  are  Christ's. — Behold  what  a 
change  takes  place  through  his  power !  what  a  new 
creation  springs  up  imder  his  benignant  hand  ! 
Death  was  inflicted  on  man  as  the  curse  of  his 
oflended  Creator :  death  was  the  last  and  most 
formidable  evil — an  evil  of  unknown  magnitude, 
for  no  light  shone  from  the  dark  regions  beyond 
the  grave  :  death  has  been  the  dread  of  every 
reflecting  mind,  the  termination  of  every  visible 
joy,  the  limit  of  all  our  schemes  and  hopes :  but, 
through  Christ,  death  is  now  become  to  his  dis- 
ciples the  beginning  of  life,  the  entrance  into  im- 
mortality, the  dawn  of  glory.  Oh  !  could  we  be 
indulged  with  one  glance  into  the  bright  realms  of 


THE  CHRISTIAN  S  PRIVILEGES.  337 

bliss — could  we  survey  for  a  moment  the  excel- 
lent order,  the  exalted  employments,  the  perfect 
pleasures,  the  uninterrupted  peace,  the  glorious 
perfection,  the  pure  society,  the  light  and  know- 
ledge, the  love  and  obedience,  which  prevail  in 
those  happy  mansions — we  should  indeed  say, 
that  death  was  gain,  and  to  depart  and  be  with 
Christ  far  better  than  to  live  in  this  evil  world. 

And  now,  my  brethren,  let  us  review  this  goodly 
prospect — this  fair  inheritance  which  is  given  to 
you  through  the  infinite  bounty  of  your  God. 

All  things  are  yours,  whether  Paul,  or  ApoUos, 
or  Cephas,  or  the  world,  or  life,  or  death,  or  things 
present,  or  things  to  come;  all  are  yours; " — yours 
by  the  free  grant  and  charter  of  Him  who  ordained 
them  all  for  your  use,  benefit,  and  improvement. 
What  are  your  feelings  while  you  survey  this  en- 
chanting prospect  ?  Do  you  doubt  whether  the 
fallen  children  of  Adam  can  really  acquire  in  their 
present  state  this  glorious  inheritance  ?  Do  you 
fear  that  it  is  an  illusion  ?  If,  indeed,  we  were 
to  judge  by  the  practice  of  the  world,  we  might 
suppose  so  :  if  we  were  to  form  our  opinion  by 
the  complaints  we  daily  hear  of  the  miseries  of 
life,  we  might  justly  pronounce  it  such  ;  but  if  we 
judge  by  the  revelation  of  God — if  in  our  more 
retired  moments  we  contemplate  what  is  really 
good,  and  survey  the  vanity  of  all  that  assumes 
that  name  in  the  world — if  we  carefully  examine, 
by  the  light  of  the  word  of  God,  the  tendency  of 
all  his  dispensations  to  ennoble  and  exalt  man- 
kind ;  we  shall  be  compelled  to  own  that  it  is  but 
a  plain  and  faithful  representation  of  what  the 
bountiful  Redeemer  has  done  for  his  people. 

VOL.  II.  z 


338         THE  christian's  privileges. 

What,  then,  are  the  just  inferences  from  this 
representation  ? 

I.  It  should  teach  us  to  abandon  the  views  of 
life  which  our  own  hearts  suggest,  or  which  we 
acquire  from  our  intercourse  with  the  world.  Let 
temporal  thingsbecome  less  valuable  in  our  esteem. 
Let  us  pursue  them  with  less  avidity,  be  less 
anxious  about  the  enjoyments  of  the  world,  and 
less  depressed  with  its  troubles.  This  world  and 
the  fashion  of  it  passeth  away.    Man  himself 
fleeth  as  it  were  a  shadow,  and  abideth  not  in 
one  stay."    Why  then  all  this  anxiety  ?  Why 
these  fears  of  the  trials  of  life  ?    Why  this  im- 
moder^ate  joy  in  its  pleasures?    Does  not  this 
intensity  of  mere  worldly  affections  prove  that 
the  heart  needs  correction  ?    Is  not  this  view  of 
life  entirely  faulty  ?   Are  we  not  judging  accord- 
ing to  outward  appearance  ?    Are  we  not  pre- 
ferring time  to  eternity,  the  body  to  the  soul, 
worldly  prosperity  to  spiritual  improvement  ? 
Learn,  then,  to  think  more  of  another  life,  and 
less  of  this  ;  to  see  the  world  as  the  Scripture 
represents  it,  as  abounding  only  in  vanity  and 
vexation  of  spirit,  as  perpetually  deceiving  and 
disappointing,  and  then  only  the  scene  of  real  en- 
joyment when  used  in  conformity  with  the  will  of 
God,  and  in  subordination  to  his  grace  in  the  soul. 

2.  The  second  general  inference  from  the  pre- 
ceding considerations  is,  that  we  should  try  all  our 
opinions  by  the  standard  of  truth  given  us  in  the 
word  of  Go(}.  A  Christian  has  much  to  unlearn, 
and  much  to  learn.  The  views  and  maxims  he 
has  acquired  from  the  world  are  generally  false. 
Until  his  feelings  entirely  correspond  with  those 
inculcated  in  the  Sacred  Writings,  he  has  not 


THE  christian's  PRIVILEGES.  339 

acquired  a  true  and  Christian  judgment.  Every- 
thing must  be  considered  by  us  in  reference  to  our 
souls  and  the  glory  of  God,  and  must  be  measured 
and  valued  by  this  rule.  This  is  the  first  maxim 
of  Christianity,  and  differs  entirely  from  what  we 
are  taught  in  the  world.  Our  Christian  improve- 
ment, then,  must  be  our  first  object;  reliance 
upon  God  our  first  duty;  obedience  to  his  will 
our  chief  study  ;  and  the  life  to  come  our  bright- 
est hope ;  the  love  of  Christ  our  ruling  principle, 
and  the  glory  of  God  our  stedfast  aim.  Then  we 
shall  act  aright ;  for  we  shall  see  the  world,  and 
life,  and  death,  in  their  true  colours,  and  shall  no 
longer  be  misled  by  the  meteors  and  phantoms 
which  delude  the  frivolous  and  the  ungodly. 

3.  We  may  learn,  from  what  has  been  said,  to 
abound  in  gratitude  to  God,  and  to  derive  a  steady- 
tranquillity  of  mind  from  confidence  in  his  mercy. 
All  nature  calls  on  us  to  be  thankful ;  for  on  what 
side  can  we  look  where  we  see  not  the  tokens  of 
the  Divine  goodness  displayed  ?  The  sun  shining 
in  the  heavens,  and  the  moon  and  stars  illuminat- 
ing the  night,  declare  the  glory  of  the  Lord,  and 
shew  forth  his  goodness  to  man.  The  earth  is 
spread  beneath  our  feet  with  grass  for  the  cattle, 
and  green  herb  for  the  service  of  man.  On  this 
side  is  the  great  and  wide  sea,  in  which  sail  the 
ships  conveying  the  bounty  of  Heaven  from  one 
climate  to  another.  There  the  luxuriant  harvest 
bends  to  the  sickle :  here  the  woods  are  rising  to 
supply  the  wants  of  future  generations.  Look 
back,  and  say,  if  goodness  and  mercy  have  not 
followed  you  all  the  days  of  your  life ;  look  for- 
ward, and  behold  what  glories  are  prepared  for 

Z  2 


340        THE  christian's  privileges. 

you  at  the  end  of  your  journey.  Open  the  Book 
of  God,  and  every  page  is  rich  in  mercy  and  con- 
solation: open  the  treasures  of  the  Gospel,  and 
say  if  more  could  have  been  given  than  God  has 
bestowed  on  his  redeemed.  Christ  is  their  Ad- 
vocate, the  Holy  Spirit  their  Comforter,  God  their 
Father,  heaven  their  home.  Let  us,  then,  grate- 
fully adore  the  goodness  of  our  God,  and  learn 
to  confide  in  him.  To  him  let  us  commit  our-, 
selves,  our  families,  our  future  prospects :  He 
that  spared  not  his  own  Son,  but  gave  him  up  for 
us  all,  how  shall  he  not  with  him  also  freely  give 
us  all  things  ? " 

But  while  you  admire  the  bountiful  goodness  of 
God,  forget  not  why  it  is  bestowed  upon  you : 

All  things  are  yours,  for  ye  are  Christ's."  The 
gift  of  so  rich  an  inheritance,  to  those  who  are  so 
unworthy  of  it,  might  justly  excite  surprise ;  but 
the  Apostle  assigns  the  reason :  Ye  are  Christ's." 
It  is  the  relation  you  bear  to  the  all-meritorious 
and  glorious  Son  of  God,  which  procures  for  you 
so  large  a  gift.  For  the  sake  of  his  beloved  Son, 
in  whom  the  Father  is  well  pleased,  he  opens  the 
treasures  of  his  goodness^  and  glorifies  his  Son  in 
exalting  us.  Because  we  are  brethren  to  Christ, 
therefore  we  are  the  sons  of  God.  For  Christ  is 
God's :  he  is  the  only-begotten  of  the  Father,  the 
brightness  of  his  glory  ;  and  on  account  of  his 
voluntary  humiliation,  the  Father  has  highly  ex- 
alted him,  and  assigned  him  a  kingdom,  in  which 
he  and  his  redeemed  servants  reign  in  glory. 
This,  then,  be  your  unceasing  aim,  to  be  found 
in  Christ.  Would  you  know  whether  that  great 
object  has  been  attained  ?    Examine  your  own 


THE  christian's  PRIVILEGES.  341 

hearts  by  the  test  which  the  Scripture  has  given 
you.  They  that  are  Christ's  hear  his  words  ;  they 
receive  him  for  their  Lord  and  Master — they  cru- 
cify the  flesh  with  the  lusts  and  affections  thereof 
— they  purify  themselves  even  as  he  is  pure.  Such 
is  the  description  of  their  character.  They  ap- 
proach him,  indeed,  at  first,  as  ruined  sinners, 
who,  having  no  hope  but  in  his  infinite  mercy, 
cast  themselves  at  the  foot  of  his  cross  to  obtain 
pardon  and  grace.  Thus  they  become  his ;  and 
this  union  to  him  is  continually  maintained  by 
fervent  prayer  and  by  continual  application  to 
him  as  the  source  of  their  life  and  hopes.  Thus 
by  him  they  are  enabled  to  bring  forth  the  fruits 
of  righteousness,  and  to  become  partakers  of  his 
promises.  Flatter  not  yourselves,  then,  that  you 
are  entitled  to  this  goodly  inheritance  unless 
ye  are  Christ's ;  and  deceive  not  yourselves,  by 
thinking  you  are  Christ's,  unless  you  are  living  a 
life  of  faith  in  him,  and  walking  as  he  walked. 
But  if  this  be  indeed  the  case  ;  if  in  reality  and 
truth  you  receive  him  as  your  Saviour  and  Lord, 
if  you  are  ever  looking  to  him  with  humble  de- 
pendence, and  if  with  faithful  diligence  you  are 
obeying  his  holy  word ;  then  let  not  your  heart 
be  troubled,  neither  be  afraid,  for  you  have  a 
glorious  inheritance.  Then,  whatever  be  your 
condition  in  this  life,  you  have  enjoyments  truly 
divine,  and  a  peace  which  the  world  knoweth 
not.  Then  all  things  are  yours,  whether  Paul, 
or  Apollos,  or  Cephas,  or  the  world,  or  life,  or 
death,  or  things  present,  or  things  to  come ; 
all  are  yours,  for  ye  are  Christ's,  and  Christ  is 
God's." 


342 


SERMON  XXIII. 

ON  THE  UNIVERSAL  INFLUENCE  OF  CHRISTIAN 
PRINCIPLES. 


MATT.  vi.  22,  23. 

The  light  of  the  body  is  the  eye :  if  therefore  thine  eye 
he  single,  thy  whole  body  shall  be  full  of  light ;  but 
if  thine  eye  be  evil,  thy  whole  body  shall  be  full 
of  darkness.  If  therefore  the  light  that  is  in  thee 
be  darkness,  how  great  is  that  darkness  I 

This  metaphorical  declaration  of  our  Lord  may 
be  thus  explained  : — The  eye  is  the  lamp  or 
light  of  the  whole  body.    From  it  all  the  other 
members  of  the  body  derive  their  light.  If, 
then,  thine  eye  be  clear  and  unclouded,  thy 
vi^hole  body  v^ill  be  full  of  light ;  every  limb  will 
be  moved  with  alacrity,  precision,  and  certainty. 
But  if  thine  eye  be  distempered,  dim,  and  con- 
fused, thy  whole  body  will  be  full  of  darkness ; 
every  motion  of  the  body  will  betray  the  want 
of  light :  the  feet  will  stumble,  the  step  will  be 
unsteady,  the  hands  will  miss  their  aim,  the 
gesture  will  be  stiff  and  uncertain.    If,  therefore, 
that  which  is  the  light  of  the  body  be  darkened, 
how  miserable  will  be  the  state  of  the  body! 
How  great  will  be  that  darkness,  not  of  the 
eye  only,  but  of  those  members  which  have  no 


INFLUENCE  OF  CHRISTIAN  PRINCIPLES.  343 

light  of  their  own,  but  depend  entirely  on  the 
eye  ! 

Such  is  the  literal  explanation  of  the  metaphor. 
Let  us  now  consider  its  figurative  or  moral  sense. 
What,  then,  does  our  Lord  intend  to  represent  by 
the  eye?  Our  Divine  Instructor  is  reproving  the 
practice  of  amassing  treasures  upon  earth,  and 
arguing  against  it  from  their  tendency  to  engross 
the  heart;  for  where  your  treasure  is  there  will 
your  heart  be  also."  And  the  evil  of  having  the 
heart  thus  engrossed  consists  in  this:  The  heart 
or  affections  regulate  and  influence  the  whole 
conduct.  The  state  of  the  heart  is  to  the  moral 
man  what  that  of  the  eye  is  to  his  body.  As  an 
eye  clouded  by  disease  has  no  distinct  perception 
of  external  objects,  and  is  therefore  unfit  to  guide 
the  motions  of  the  body,  so  the  heart  set  upon  the 
world  cannot  perceive  eternal  or  spiritual  objects, 
and  is  unable  to  direct  or  guide  a  man  in  a  reli- 
gious and  holy  course  of  life. 

There  is  in  most  persons  some  predominating 
principle,  some  master  passion  to  which  the  rest 
give  way  and  are  subservient,  and  which  con- 
trouls  and  characterizes  the  man.  In  one,  it  is 
ambition ;  in  another,  covetousness  ;  in  another, 
the  love  of  ease,  of  applause,  or  of  pleasure.  But, 
however  various  the  different  passions  of  men  may 
be,  they  may  all,  with  reference  to  religion,  be 
comprised  under  two  grand  classes.  In  one,  the 
heart  is  fixed  upon  God ;  in  the  other,  the  object 
of  affection  is  self,  under  the  various  modifications 
of  ambition,  covetousness,  the  love  of  pleasure  or 
of  ease.  And  what  are  all  the  various  passions 
which  agitate  mankind,  but  the  influence,  in  a 


344  THE  UNIVERSAL  INFLUENCE  OF 

direction  somewhat  varied,  of  the  same  selfish 
principle  ?  They  are  the  same  as  to  their  origin, 
the  same  as  to  their  religious  effects,  the  same  as 
to  the  glory  of  God  and  the  grand  end  of  man. 
Now,  a  truly  religious  person  is  influenced  by 
a  principle  essentially  different  from  these ;  and 
this  constitutes  his  distinguishing  character.  His 
object  is  to  serve  God,  not  to  gratify  himself ;  to 
do  what  God  has  commanded,  not  to  indulge  his 
own  wishes  ;  to  live  according  to  God's  directions, 
not  according  to  the  dictates  of  his  own  corrupt 
passions ;  to  glorify  God,  not  to  honour  and 
exalt  himself. 

I  do  not  mean  to  intimate,  that  wherever  a 
man  s  heart  is  fixed  upon  God  there  will  be  no 
regard  to  his  temporal  interest;  that  he  will 
cease  to  feel  human  passions,  and  become  in- 
different to  pleasure  and  dead  to  the  desire  of 
improving  his  worldly  circumstances.    This  is 
neither  to  be  expected  in  the  present  stage  of 
human  existence,  nor  is  it  required  of  us.  It 
is  sufficient,  if  the  desire  to  please  and  serve  God 
possesses  a  preponderating  influence ;  if  it  leads 
a  man  to  study  the  will  of  God  with  a  sincere 
desire  to  accomplish  it ;  if  every  thing  is  made 
habitually  to  give  way  to  religion ;  if  he  refuses 
to  make  no  sacrifice,  which  religion  clearly  re- 
quires, and  to  perform  no  duty  which  it  plainly 
enjoins  :  in  short,  if  he  receives  the  word  of  God 
in  an  honest  and  good  heart — a  heart  disposed  to 
act  uprightly  according  to  the  commands  of  that 
word,  and  to  bring  forth  all  those  good  fruits 
whicfe  it  describes  and  demands. 

It  is,  however,  necessary  to  distinguish  the  sin- 


CHRISTIAN  PRINCIPLES. 


345 


cerity  of  the  principle  from  its  strength.  As  the 
principle  of  life  is  as  real  in  an  infant  at  the  hour 
of  its  birth,  notwithstanding  his  weakness,  as  it 
is  in  the  man  of  mature  age,  whose  strength  and 
vigour  enable  him  to  perform  the  most  active 
services,  so  there  is  a  real  principle  in  every  true 
Christian  essentially  different  from  that  which 
influences  other  men.  It  may  yet  be  very  weak ; 
it  may  be  mixed  with  much  imperfection,  debased 
by  gross  superstition,  clouded  by  extreme  igno- 
rance, tarnished  by  errors  and  mistakes,  over- 
powered by  the  occasional  violence  of  unruly 
passions ;  but  still  it  has  a  sterling  nature  which 
is  of  more  worth  th^n  the  most  brilliant  qualities, 
the  most  zealous  exertions,  or  the  most  splendid 
actions  without  it.  It  will  ultimately  prevail  and 
flourish  over  all  opposition:  it  will  be  like  a  leaven 
which  by  degrees  leaveneth  the  whole  mass ;  it 
will  in  the  end  bring  every  thought  into  subjection 
to  the  will  of  God.  It  is  a  seed  implanted  in  the 
heart  by  God  himself.  Hence  it  is  said  of  the 
real  Christian,  that  he  cannot  sin ;  that  is,  cannot 
continue  in  a  course  of  wilful  sin ;  because  he  is 
born  of  God,  and  the  seed  of  God  remaineth  in 
him. 

This  principle  is  a  sincere  and  prevailing  desire 
to  please  and  to  serve  God,  and  without  it  there 
can  be  no  real  religion.  Before,  a  man  was  living 
only  to  himself,  seeking  his  own  ease,  pleasure, 
and  advantage :  he  might  perhaps  worship  God 
in  a  formal  lifeless  manner,  and  study  religion  in 
a  cold  and  speculative  way ;  but  his  heart  was  in 
the  world,  or  engrossed  by  selfish  motives  ;  but 
now  he  sees  the  excellency  of  God  s  service,  he 


346  THE  UNIVERSAL  INFLUENCE  OF 

feels  his  solemn  obligations  to  his  Creator  and 
Redeemer :  he  perceives  it  to  be  his  bounden 
duty  to  honour  God  as  his  Sovereign  ;  and  he 
honestly  endeavours  to  pay  a  faithful  and  un- 
reserved obedience  to  his  commandments.  His 
conscience  now  becomes  his  guide,  and  directs 
him  to  act  according  to  duty  rather  than  interest; 
— and  under  the  influence  of  this  principle,  in 
proportion  to  his  light  and  strength,  he  begins  to 
amend  what  he  sees  amiss  in  himself ;  to  renounce 
sin,  however  alluring;  to  struggle  with  corrup- 
tions, however  powerful ;  to  resist  habits,  how- 
ever painful.  In  a  word,  he  now  becomes,  in 
deed  and  in  truth,  a  disciple  of  Christ :  he  honours 
and  loves  his  Master  ;  he  serves  him  as  faithfully 
in  secret  as  in  public,  during  the  week  as  on  the 
Sabbath-day,  and  amidst  the  busy  engagements 
of  the  world  as  in  the  retirement  of  the  closet. 
His  heart  is  right  with  God,  and  his  delight  is  to 
do  his  will. 

Suffer  me  here,  my  brethren,  to  urge  upon  you 
a  serious  self-examination.  Do  you  possess  this 
important  principle,  without  which  no  real  reli- 
gion can  subsist  ?  What  is  your  prevailing  aim 
in  life?  By  what  principle  are  you  habitually 
influenced  ?  Are  you  living  to  yourself,  or  to  God? 
Do  you  truly  wish  to  honour  him  ?  Do  you  seri- 
ously consider  what  is  the  will  of  God,  that  you 
may  do  it  ?  Do  you  accustom  yourself  to  set  Him 
before  you  ?  Is  the  desire  to  serve  and  please 
Him  the  preponderating  principle  of  your  heart? 
Do  all  other  motives  give  way  to  it?  Do  you  feel 
it  impossible  to  do  with  complacency  any  thing 
which  you  believe  will  be  displeasing  to  God  ? 


CHRISTIAN  PRINCIPLES. 


347 


If  you  have  offended  him,  do  you  feel  a  real  grief 
and  uneasiness  till  you  have  confessed  your  sin 
to  God,  implored  his  pardon,  and  earnestly  sought 
his  grace  to  strengthen  you  for  the  future  ?  If 
you  do  indeed  possess  such  a  principle,  you 
possses  that  which  contains  in  it  the  essence  of 
all  true  religion  and  virtue.  Cultivate  it,  and  it 
will  produce  fruits  of  true  righteousness  to  the 
glory  of  God.  But  how  few  are  there  in  whom 
religion  has  any  such  prevailing  ascendency ! 
The  world  at  large  may  indeed  pay  some  degree 
of  attention  to  it,  but  it  is  still  from  an  imperfect 
or  selfish  motive.  They  dread  the  judgment  to 
come.  They  fear  the  Divine  indignation,  and 
would  appease  it  by  some  religious  acts,  and 
by  abstinence  from  gross  vices  :  but  their  hearts 
are  in  the  world,  their  religion  is  a  matter  of  con- 
straint; they  are  alive  in  the  business  of  the  world, 
they  are  cold  and  lifeless  in  the  performance  of 
religious  duties.  The  influence  of  religion  is 
occasional,  transitory,  imperfect,  painful :  the 
influence  of  selfish  or  worldly  principles  is  con- 
stant, uniform,  powerful,  pleasing.  How  evident 
is  it  that,  till  the  state  of  the  heart  is  rectified, 
there  can  be  no  obedience  to  God  which  will  be 
acceptable  to  him,  excellent  in  itself,  or  pleasant 
to  the  person  who  endeavours  to  perform  it.  As 
the  heart  is,  so  will  the  whole  of  the  conduct  be. 
*'  If  thine  eye  be  single,  thy  whole  body  will  be 
full  of  light ;  but  if  thine  eye  be  evil,  thy  whole 
body  will  be  full  of  darkness." 

II.  I  proceed  to  consider,  in  several  particu- 
lars, the  extensive  influence  of  the  state  of  heart 


348  THE  UNIVERSAL  INFLUENCE  OF 

described  by  the  expression,  **If  thine  eye  be 
single." 

1.  As  it  respects  a  maris  rdigions  opinions.  —  I 
do  not  assert,  that  if  the  state  of  a  man's  heart  be 
right  with  God,  his  belief  will  be  always  right ; 
but  this  I  maintain,  that  the  state  of  his  heart  will 
very  much  influence  his  faith  :  so  that,  if  his  heart 
be  not  upright  with  God,  he  will  be  greatly  dis- 
posed to  error;  and,  on  the  other  hand,  if  the 
state  of  his  heart  be  right,  it  will  tend  gradually 
to  correct  what  was  erroneous  in  his  creed,  and 
to  give  him  just  views  of  religious  doctrines. 

The  influence  of  the  heart  on  the  understand- 
ing has  frequently  been  the  subject  of  remark. 
A  man  will  soon  understand  a  subject  on  which 
he  is  interested :  he  will  know  all  its  bearings 
and  connections,  be  master  of  the  arguments 
advanced  in  its  support,  and  think  accurately  and 
clearly  concerning  it,  though  still  it  may  be  that 
side  of  the  subject  only  to  which  his  heart  inclines 
which  he  fully  understands.  There  will  be  a  bias 
on  the  mind  to  think  in  a  certain  way  and  direc- 
tion concerning  it ;  for  we  think  chiefly  of  what  is 
pleasing  and  interesting  to  us.  In  like  manner, 
there  is  a  certain  strain  of  doctrines  in  religion 
which  corresponds  to  a  certain  state  of  the  mind  ; 
so  that  a  man  who  is  in  that  particular  state  will 
at  length  fall  into  that  corresponding  strain  of 
doctrine,  however  much  external  causes  may  for 
a  time  retard  the  natural  influence  of  his  feelings. 
A  man,  for  instance,  whose  heart  and  life  are 
corrupt,  will  naturally  embrace  that  system  of 
doctrines  which  would  tend  to  justify  or  palliate 
his  own  conduct.    He  will  therefore  be  disposed 


CHRISTIAN  PRINCIPLES. 


349 


to  think  lightly  of  the  evil  of  sin,  to  mitigate  the 
strictness  of  the  Divine  commandments,  to  en- 
large his  conceptions  of  the  mercy  of  God,  and  to 
lower  his  views  of  his  justice.  His  belief  in  Re- 
velation itself  will  be  very  apt  to  be  shaken,  and 
his  interpretations  of  it  will  be  generally  very 
loose  and  vague.  On  the  other  hand,  where  a 
man  is  influenced  by  a  sincere  desire  to  please 
and  serve  God,  he  will  naturally  be  drawn  to 
embrace  a  more  correct  and  scriptural  system  of 
doctrines ;  his  sincere  regard  to  the  just  authority 
of  God,  and  his  upright  endeavours  to  please  him, 
will  naturally  induce  him  to  dwell  upon  the  rea- 
sonableness and  equity  of  his  commands,  the 
purity  and  perfections  of  his  nature,  the  evil  and 
ingratitude  of  sin  against  him.  He  will  be  dis- 
posed, therefore,  to  erect  a  high  standard  in  reli- 
gion. In  proportion  as  any  man  is  truly  upright, 
and  consequently  striving  to  do  much  in  the  ser- 
vice of  God,  he  will  perceive  the  more  clearly 
how  far  he  falls  short  of  perfect  obedience  to  the 
Divine  commands.  He  will  therefore  be  disposed 
to  believe  the  doctrine  of  man's  corruption,  and 
the  necessity  of  an  atonement  for  sin,  and  thank- 
fully to  receive  the  glad  tidings  of  a  Saviour. 
This  will  also  incline  him  to  believe  in  the  gra- 
cious assistance  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  Thus  also, 
where  the  heart  is  truly  set  upon  serving  God,  it 
will  dispose  a  man  to  read  his  word  frequently 
and  attentively,  and  to  pay  much  attention  to  its 
declarations :  and  this  will  naturally  tincture  his 
mind  with  the  views  and  principles  which  the 
Bible  contains.  In  every  point  of  view,  therefore 
we  see  the  natural  tendency  which  a  right  state 


350  THE  UNIVERSAL  INFLUENCE  OF 

of  the  heart  has  to  produce  a  right  system  of 
belief:  so  true  are  our  Saviour's  words,  If  any 
man  will  do  his  will,  he  shall  know  of  the  doc- 
trine whether  it  be  of  God." 

I  am,  however,  very  far  from  asserting,  that  a 
man's  system  of  faith  is  the  test  of  his  sincerity. 
A  man  may  be  very  orthodox,  and  yet  his  heart 
be  very  corrupt  before  God  ;  and,  on  the  other 
hand  a  man  may  be  truly  upright  before  God, 
and  yet  his  present  creed  may  be  very  different 
from  that  which  has  been  almost  universally  held 
by  the  most  sincere  and  pious  Christians.  Much 
must  be  allowed  for  the  bias  of  education,  the 
force  of  prejudice,  the  association  of  long-accus- 
tomed ideas,  the  pride  of  reasoning,  or  the  in- 
fluence of  friends.  I  assert  only,  that  it  is  the 
tendency  of  a  right  state  of  the  heart  to  produce 
a  right  faith ;  that  in  proportion  as  a  man  is  truly 
living  with  the  desire  to  serve  God  faithfully,  he 
will  by  degrees  embrace  all  the  fundamental 
doctrines  of  Scripture,  and  think  rightly  as  well 
as  act  rightly.  Slighter  errors  may  still  remain, 
even  to  the  last.  Alas  !  who  that  knows  the  im- 
perfection and  the  corruption  of  the  human  mind 
can  expect  otherwise  ?  But  I  cannot  hesitate 
to  assert,  that  there  will,  in  no  long  time,  be 
a  coincidence  among  all  real  Christians  in  all  the 
fundamental  points  of  Christianity,  and  a  ten- 
dency, even  in  lesser  ones,  to  embrace  more  and 
more  the  true  system  of  faith. 

2.  The  state  of  the  heart  will  greatly  influence 
the  state  of  the  affections. — I  mean,  that  if  a  man's 
real  aim  is  to  serve  God,  this  will  tend  to  bring 
all  his  afl'ections  and  dispositions  into  a  right  state. 


CHRISTIAN  PRINCIPLES. 


351 


For  let  a  man  be  truly  desirous  of  pleasing 
God,  the  tendency  of  this  desire  will  be  first  to 
lead  him  to  a  better  acquaintance  with  the  cha- 
racter and  perfections  of  that  Being  whom  he  now 
honours  as  his  Supreme  Master.  And  where  the 
heart  is  thus  turned  to  the  frequent  contempla- 
tion of  Him  whose  attributes  are  infinitely  glo- 
rious, what  must  be  the  result  but  an  increasing 
conviction  that  He  alone  ought  to  be  feared,  and 
loved,  and  trusted  ?  The  comparison  will  be  fre- 
quently made  of  this  blessed  Being  with  the  other 
objects  upon  which  the  affections  are  most  usually 
placed.  They  will  be  found  to  be  in  their  own 
nature  vain  and  unsatisfactory,  perpetually  ex- 
citing and  perpetually  disappointing  expectation,, 
difficult  to  be  possessed,  and,  when  possessed, 
failing  and  transitory  in  their  enjoyment.  Hence 
by  degrees  the  affections  will  be  weaned  from 
worldly  things,  and  fixed  upon  higher  and  better 
objects.  Love  to  God  will  now  begin  to  direct 
and  sweeten  every  religious  service.  What  was 
before  done  only  from  a  sense  of  duty  will  now 
be  performed  with  the  full  and  free  choice  of  the 
heart.  A  pleasure  of  the  purest  kind  will  attend 
the  performance  of  these  services ;  not  perhaps 
a  rapturous  and  extatic  joy,  but  the  calm  and  ra- 
tional delight  of  performing  duty,  the  holy  tran- 
quillity of  a  renewed  mind.  The  love  of  God  will 
extend  to  the  love  of  all  goodness  ;  to  the  love 
of  truth,  justice,  benevolence,  piety.  Devotion, 
when  performed  with  the  heart,  will  become  the 
source  of  the  noblest  enjoyment.  Every  thing  is 
tedious  in  which  the  heart  is  not  engaged  ;  every 
thing  delightful  in  which  it  is  interested.  All  the 


352  THE  UNIVERSAL  INFLUENCE  OF 

duties  of  religion  will  wear  a  pleasing  and  cheer- 
ful aspect.  It  will  be  the  service  of  Him  to 
whom  we  owe  every  thing  that  is  truly  great  and 
valuable.  Our  happiness  will  become  more  and 
more  of  a  spiritual  nature.  We  shall  rejoice  in 
the  contemplation  of  God's  providence,  appoint- 
ing and  directing  all  things  with  never-failing 
wisdom  and  infinite  goodness.  We  shall  rejoice 
in  the  rich  provision  made  in  the  Covenant  of 
Grace  for  all  the  wants  of  sinful  man.  We  shall 
rejoice  in  the  delightful  hope,  that  there  is  a  land 
of  blessedness  above,  which  pain,  and  sorrow, 
and  sin,  shall  never  be  permitted  to  invade.  Our 
hopes  will  be  directed,  not  to  transitory  things, 
but  to  those  which  are  spiritual  and  eternal.  The 
favour  of  God  will  be  the  first  object  of  our 
wishes  and  hopes ;  and  the  possession  of  eternal 
glory  will  be  the  noble  aim  of  our  highest  am- 
bition. In  a  mind  so  constituted,  the  affections 
cannot  entertain  low  and  unworthy  aims.  Where 
one  object  engrosses  the  heart,  which  is,  in  its 
own  nature,  transcendently  great  and  glorious,  it 
tends  to  inspire  the  soul  with  its  own  greatness 
and  glory ;  it  assimilates  it  in  some  measure  to 
itself,  and  renders  it  incapable  of  what  is  sordid 
and  groveling.  God  and  mammon  cannot  reign 
in  the  same  heart :  they  are  incompatible  objects 
of  esteem.  The  heart  may  be  attached  to  the 
one  or  to  the  other ;  but  it  cannot  love  both  at 
the  same  time,  any  more  than  there  can  be  light 
and  darkness  in  the  same  place  at  the  same  in- 
stant. God  may  be  the  object  of  thought,  or 
even  of  desire,  at  some  transient  moment,  although 
such  thoughts  or  desires  may  have  no  influence 


CHRISTIAN  PRINCIPLES. 


353 


upon  the  affections.  But  in  the  case  we  suppose, 
where  the  heart  is  right  with  God  ;  where,  of 
course,  his  perfections  are  daily  contemplated  ; 
where  he  is  daily  worshipped  in  sincerity  and 
truth ;  where  the  heart  is  really  bent  upon 
pleasing  Him  and  fulfilling  his  holy  will;  there 
the  influence  of  such  a  principle  cannot  but  be 
widely  extended  :  it  cannot  tolerate  a  state  of 
indifference ;  it  must  be  itself  extinguished,  or  it 
will  extinguish,  like  the  splendour  of  the  sun,  the 
lesser  lights  which  before  directed  our  dubious 
course.  The  Lord  and  Creator  of  the  heart  will 
assert  his  right,  and  the  affections  will  bow  to 
him  as  their  Supreme  Lord. 

It  is  because  the  heart  is  not  right  with  God 
that  we  see  so  frequently  the  affections  wavering 
and  unsteady  in  religion.  There  is  no  settled 
preponderancy  of  esteem  of  God  and  divine 
things.  The  understanding  is  enlightened,  rather 
than  the  heart  rectified :  the  mind  is  convinced, 
rather  than  converted.  Hence  the  affections  are 
sometimes  directed  to  God,  then  again  to  the 
world.  This  unsteady  principle  renders  every 
thing  unsteady.  "  A  double-minded  man  is  un- 
stable in  all  his  ways."  His*whole  mind  is  a  sea 
of  fluctuations,  of  contrarieties,  of  uncertainty,  of 
failure.  It  is  like  a  ship  at  sea  which  has  lost  its 
rudder,  and  is  carried  on  by  the  winds  and  the 
tide  wherever  they  may  chance  to  drift  her.  One 
steady  principle  must  direct  the  whole  man,  if  he 
would  expect  consistency  and  improvement. 

3.  The  general  conduct  will  be  under  a  right 
influence  wherever  the  heart  is  sincere  towards 
God :  that  is,  if  a  man's  grand  aim  is  to  please 

VOL.  II.  2  A 


354  THE  UNIVERSAL  INFLUENCE  OF 

and  serve  God,  it  will  produce  a  course  of  moral 
conduct  worthy  of  a  religious  profession. 

If  a  man's  heart  is  not  right  with  God ;  that  is, 
if  he  does  not  so  truly  aim  to  please  God  that 
every  other  principle  gives  way  to  this ;  his  con- 
duct, however  excellent  in  many  points,  will  in 
some  be  greatly  deficient.  He  cannot  be  de- 
pended upon  in  all  things  ;  he  will  still  retain  some 
besetting  sin,  which  will  continually  overcome 
him ;  he  will  yield  to  temptation,  when  strong 
and  pressing  :  he  will  not  be  uniform  and  con- 
sistent in  his  conduct ;  in  secret  he  will  often  be  a 
different  person  from  what  he  is  in  public.  There 
will  be  a  lamentable  unsteadiness  in  him,  which 
cannot  be  corrected  till  the  ruling  principle  be- 
comes more  pure,  and  has  a  predominating  influ- 
ence over  his  mind.  But,  where  the  heart  is  right 
with  God,  there  it  is  bent  upon  doing  one  thing 
only.  Other  things  may  indeed,  for  a  time, 
occupy,  and  strongly  occupy,  the  mind;  but  they 
will  be  still  so  far  under  the  controul  of  the  reli- 
gious principle,  that  nothing  sinful,  nothing  con- 
trary to  the  will  of  God,  can  ever  be  admitted : 
in  short,  nothing  will  be  done  but  with  a  refer- 
ence to  the  authority  and  superintendence  of 
God's  holy  will  and  commandments. 

Hence  the  conduct  will  in  general  be  pure  and 
correct.  Where  there  is  a  deviation  from  what  is 
right,  it  will  be  an  interruption.  There  will  be 
a  principle  of  correction  within,  which  will  gradu- 
ally tend  to  discover  what  is  amiss,  to  remonstrate 
against  it,  and  to  amend  it.  For  the  true  prin- 
ciple which  influences  the  heart  possesses  in  itself 
an  excellency  and  a  power  which  tends  to  bring 


CHRISTIAN  PRINCIPLES.  355 

every  thing  right.  It  is  an  universal  principle. — 
A  regard  to  God  will  operate  equally  with  respect 
to  every  part  of  duty :  it  will  as  much  require 
duty  to  man  as  duty  to  God ;  it  will  enforce  prac- 
tice as  well  as  enjoin  devotion;  it  will  operate 
against  lesser  sins  as  well  as  against  grosser  of- 
fences. The  same  reasons  which  forbid  the  act 
forbid  the  principle  also :  the  same  authority 
which  forbids  us  to  commit,  evil  requires  us  to 
do  good  :  the  same  power  which  enjoins  a  moral 
conduct  equally  enjoins  a  right  state  of  the  affec- 
tions and  desires.  It  is  also  a  steady  and  uniform 
principle.  The  authority  of  God  is,  like  himself, 
permanent  and  eternal  :  it  allows  no  cessation  of 
duty,  sanctions  no  negligence  of  conduct,  admits 
of  no  indulgence  of  some  beloved  sin.  It  is  also 
a  most  holy  principle :  it  tolerates  not  the  least 
degree  of  iniquity ;  it  points  at  the  highest  state 
of  purity,  as  that  to  which  we  ought  to  aspire  : 
it  raises  the  standard,  indeed,  to  a  height  to  which 
no  human  power  can  attain;  but  it  reconciles  us 
to  this  perfection  of  holiness  by  providing  a  re- 
medy for  our  defects.  Thus  operating  with  per- 
petual force,  in  a  direction  ever  right,  it  will  pro- 
duce a  greater  and  greater  degree  of  holiness  in 
every  part  of  the  conduct  of  those  who  are  truly 
influenced  by  it.  Conscience,  under  its  power, 
becomes  gradually  more  tender :  it  will  not  suffer 
what  is  wrong  :  it  will  become  an  active  guardian, 
watching  over  our  best  interests,  regulating  itself 
by  the  smile  or  the  frown  of  the  Most  High,  di- 
recting us  to  act  continually  in  a  manner  more 
and  more  becoming  the  Holiness  and  Majesty  of 
the  God  whom  we  serve. 

2  A  2 


356  THE  UNIVERSAL  INFLUENCE  OF 

4.  And  lastly,  the  right  state  of  the  heart  will 
influence,  in  a  very  remarkable  degree,  the  futurt 

ogress  in  religion. 

The  path  of  the  just  is  like  the  shining  light, 
which  shineth  more  and  more  unto  the  perfect 
day."  Where  all  is  right  in  the  heart,  where  the 
fear  and  love  of  God  prevail  over  the  fear  and  love 
of  the  world,  where  the  principle  of  action  is  pure 
and  holy — there  thQ  progress  cannot  but  corres- 
pond to  the  excellence  of  the  principle.  In  this 
case,  there  will  be  seen  that  most  interesting  of 
all  earthly  appearances,  the  progress  of  a  corrupt 
creature  towards  perfection,  the  gradual  trans- 
formation oi  a  sinful  mind  into  the  Divine  image  ; 
the  preparation  of  a  depraved  creature  for  the 
inheritance  of  the  saints  in  light.  Where  the 
heart  is  not  right  with  God,  there  will  be  no  such 
gradual  transformation.  Life  will  be  spent  in 
a  succession  of  feeble  efforts  for  improvement, 
and  of  relapses  into  sin  :  increasing  years  will  be 
marked  with  no  decisive  or  perceptible  growth  in 
holiness  ;  temptation  will  not  have  lost  its  power  ; 
the  world  will  still  retain  its  influence ;  the  heart 
will  be  still  the  slave  of  selfishness  and  sin.  The 
importance  of  religion  may  be  acknowledged  and 
felt,  but  its  power  will  be  unknown. 

But  enough  has  been  said  as  to  the  effects  of  a 
right  state  of  the  heart :  enough,  I  trust,  to  con- 
vince you,  my  brethren,  that  unless  the  heart  be 
thus  right  with  God,  it  is  absolutely  impossible 
that  there  should  be  any  real  religion.  But  some 
one  will  perhaps  say,  I  am  convinced  of  the 
truth  of  your  observation ;  but,  alas  !  I  am  also 
convinced  that  my  own  heart  is  not  thus  right  with 


CHRISTIAN  PRINCIPLES. 


357 


God!  Tell  me  what  must  I  do  to  obtain  such  a 
state  of  heart  as  I  see  to  be  indispensably  neces- 
sary to  my  salvation  ? " 

In  answer  to  this  inquiry,  I  would  observe,  that 
you  must  begin  in  religion  with  laying  down  this 
as  your  fundamental  maxim,  that  you  are  to  make 
the  will  of  God  the  supreme  rule  of  your  conduct. 
Cost  what  it  may,  this  must  be  done.  Religion 
consists  in  your  becoming  a  servant  of  God.  You 
are  now  acting  as  if  you  were  independent,  and 
are  living  to  yourself.  In  this  state,  religion  is 
impracticable.  You  must  now  begin  to  be  reli- 
gious, with  renouncing  your  own  will,  and  deter- 
mining, by  God's  help,  that  you  will  obey  him 
fully  and  implicitly  ;  that  you  will  make  every 
sacrifice  which  he  demands ;  that  you  will  per- 
form every  duty  which  he  requires  ;  that  your 
temporal  interest  shall  not  weigh  with  you  when 
it  comes  in  competition  with  your  obedience;  that 
your  pleasures  shall  be  given  up,  if  they  interfere 
with  your  duty  to  God  and  the  interest  of  your 
soul.  Will  you  make  this  resolve?  Will  you  give 
Religion  so  pre-eminent  and  honourable  a  place  ? 
Will  you  thus  enthrone  God  in  your  heart  ?  Do 
this,  and  the  work  is  done.  But  to  do  this,  is 
indeed  the  difficulty.  It  is  so  :  but,  remember, 
if  you  are  disposed  to  do  it,  that  the  help  of  the 
Almighty  will  not  be  denied.  Go,  and  implore 
Divine  aid.  Prostrate  yourself  before  your  God. 
Confess  your  weakness  and  corruption.  Acknow- 
ledge his  right  to  reign  over  you,  and  to  be  obeyed 
absolutely  and  unreservedly.  Set  before  you  the 
importance  of  salvation.  Your  all  is  at  stake. 
Religion  will  be  only  the  source  of  pain  to  you, 


358   INFLUENCE  OF  CHRISTIAN  PRINCIPLES. 

if  it  is  not  the  source  of  enjoyment.  The  miseries 
arising  from  indecision  are  great  and  constant. 
You  must,  you  must  be  decided.  Set  before 
yourself  the  character  of  God  as  your  Creator 
and  Judge,  who  is  infinitely  wise,  and  holy,  and 
just,  and  good.  Learn  from  this  the  reasonable- 
ness of  all  that  he  requires.  Can  he  be  unreason- 
able in  his  demands  who  has  made  you  what  you 
are,  and  given  you  all  that  you  possess?  And, 
above  all,  set  before  yourself  the  wonderful  work 
of  your  Redemption  !  See  there  what  Christ  the 
Son  of  God  has  done  for  you ;  and  learn  your 
obligations,  not  to  live  unto  yourself,  but  unto 
Him  who  died  for  you  and  rose  again  !  Choose, 
therefore,  whom  you  will  serve ;  and  beg  of  God 
to  give  you  a  new  heart,  and  to  renew  a  right 
spirit  within  you,  that,  walking  in  the  light,  and 
serving  God  in  sincerity  and  truth,  you  may  at 
last  be  guided  to  light  and  glory  everlasting ! 


359 


SERMON  XXIV. 

ON  THE  christian's  HOPE. 
UOM.  V.  2. 

JVc  rejoice  in  hope  oj  the  glory  oj'  God. 

The  next  thing  to  the  enjoyment  of  heaven, 
is  the  well-founded  and  joyful  expectation  of  it. 
This  expectation,  when  sufficiently  strong,  will  so 
gild  the  scenes  of  this  fading  and  transitory  world, 
as  to  give  to  it  a  resemblance  of  the  glorious  state 
of  felicity  above.  And  this  expectation  it  is  the 
manifest  design  of  the  Gospel  to  communicate  to 
man.  Being  justified  by  faith,"  saith  the  Apo- 
stle, "  we  have  peace  with  God,  and  rejoice  in 
hope  of  the  glory  of  God."  Whenever  I  sit  down 
to  contemplate  any  subject  connected  with  the 
Gospel  of  Christ,  I  never  fail  to  be  impressed  with 
the  very  evident  design  which  it  every  where  dis- 
plays to  bless  the  children  of  men.  I  every  v/here 
behold  marks  of  compassion  and  bounty;  such  as 
could  only  proceed  from  Him  whose  goodness  is, 
like  his  other  attributes,  infinite  and  incomprehen- 
sible. I  perceive  every  where  such  an  evident 
plan  to  bless,  to  exalt,  and  to  ennoble  fallen  man, 
that  in  the  greatness  and  uniformity  of  the  design 
I  am  compelled  to  trace  and  acknowledge  a  Divine 
Original.    It  every  where  supposes  the  present 


360  ON  THE  christian's  hope. 

state  of  man  to  be  poor  and  wretched,  while  it 
points  out  an  adequate  and  entire  remedy  for  all 
his  evils,  and  opens  to  him  such  bright  glimpses 
of  everlasting  glory  as  could  only  be  derived  from 
that  blessed  scene  of  universal  love,  where  the 
boundless  power  of  the  Almighty  is  employed  to 
perpetuate  and  diffuse  consummate  bliss.  Behold, 
my  brethren,  the  hope  of  your  calling.  Heaven 
is  not  merely  held  out  to  you  as  the  doubtful  and 
distant  reward  of  long-continued  service  and  un- 
deviating  obedience  :  it  is  offered  freely  as  a  gift, 
bespeaking  the  bounty  of  the  illustrious  Donor, 
and  the  honour  of  the  Redeemer,  on  whose  ac- 
count and  to  whose  glory  it  is  given,  freely  given, 
to  all  who  truly  believe  in  Christ  Jesus.  And  they 
are  encouraged  to  rejoice  in  expectation  of  the 
prize  of  their  high  calling,  and  to  receive  the 
earnest  of  it  in  their  souls. 

God  forbid  that  I  should  encourage  any  un- 
founded and  delusive  hopes  of  eternal  happiness ; 
yet,  on  the  other  hand,  far  be  it  from  any  minister 
of  the  Gospel  of  Jesus  Christ  to  conceal  or  to  ob- 
scure the  infinite  bounty  of  God,  It  is  evidently 
his  will  that  the  sinful  children  of  men,  though 
unworthy  of  the  least  of  his  mercies,  should,  upon 
their  faithful  reception  of  the  Gospel  of  his  be- 
loved Son,  be  entitled  not  only  to  the  enjoyment 
of  heaven  hereafter,  but  to  the  reviving  hope  and 
expectation  of  it  here ;  that  they  should  live  in  the 
constant  view  of  it,  enjoying  in  their  souls  the 
foretaste  of  it,  and  looking  for  and  hastening  unto 
the  coming  of  Christ. 

It  is  indeed  to  be  lamented,  that  a  very  large 
proportion  of  nominal  Christians  do  not  enjoy  this 


ON  THE  christian's  HOPE.  361 

delightful  anticipation.  For  though  there  are 
few  who  do  not  entertain  a  hope  that  they  shall 
be  saved  at  last,  yet  their  hope  is  little  more 
than  the  mere  natural  desire  to  be  delivered  from 
an  alarming  evil.  It  is  a  hope  founded  upon 
their  wishes,  rather  than  upon  any  declaration  of 
the  word  of  God  ;  it  is  a  hope  in  contradiction  to 
the  general  tenor  of  Scripture,  rather  than  sup- 
ported by  it ;  it  is  a  hope  which  affords  no  ani- 
mating and  delightful  views,  which  awakens  no 
interesting  contemplations,  which  does  not  arm 
its  possessor  against  the  fear  of  death,  or  console 
him  in  the  hour  of  affliction,  which  does  not  in- 
vigorate the  spirit  nor  purify  the  soul. 

It  would  be  easy  to  assign  several  reasons  why 
our  minds  are  so  faintly  impressed  with  the  glo- 
rious hope  of  immortality  which  the  Gospel  sets 
before  us ;  but  they  may  be  reduced  to  these 
two  :  Men  are  either  too  little  interested  about 
religion  to  attend  to  it  with  sufficient  seriousness, 
or  they  entertain  some  unhappy  mistake  respect- 
ing its  nature. 

The  first  of  these  causes  is  by  far  the  most 
prevalent.  Men  are  occupied  by  the  business 
and  cares  of  the  world,  and  become  indifferent 
to  every  higher  object ;  or  they  are  captivated 
by  sensual  pleasures,  and  are  habitually  gross 
and  sensual.  They  have  neither  leisure  nor  in- 
clination for  what  is  spiritual  and  holy.  Their 
conceptions  of  happiness  are  confined  to  the  gra- 
tification of  their  corrupt  appetites.  All  their 
hopes  and  expectations  are  riveted  to  earth. 
When  they  are  told  that  the  joys  of  heaven  are 
pure  and  spiritual,  arising  from  religious  views 


362  ON  THE  christian's  hope. 

and  feelings ;  from  prayer  and  praise,  and  holy 
love  to  God,  and  ready  obedience  to  him;  they 
are  conscious,  though  they  may  scruple  to  avow 
it,  that  these  are  exercises  in  which  they  can 
discover  no  delight,  but  which,  on  the  contrary, 
are  irksome  and  disgustful  to  them.  Hence  it  is 
utterly  impossible  that  they  should  anticipate 
with  joy  a  mode  of  existence  hereafter  which 
appears  insufferable  to  them  here.  Religion 
would  destroy  their  enjoyijients.  It  requires  a 
state  of  mind  with  which  their  present  pleasures 
are  incompatible.  The  very  nature,  therefore, 
of  heaven  debars  the  greater  part  of  mankind 
from  deriving  much  joy  from  the  contemplation 
of  it.  Were  it  a  Mohammedan  paradise,  it  would 
be  an  object  of  much  more  general  delight. 

And  even  where  there  is  felt  some  degree  of 
interest  about  religion,  an  unhappy  mistake  re- 
specting its  true  nature  often  prevents  the  en- 
joyment of  the  Christian  hope  of  immortality. 
Such  is  the  case  wherever  the  glorious  grace  of 
the  Gospel  and  the  unsearchable  riches  of  Christ 
are  not  fully  understood.  Religion  may  be  ima- 
gined to  be  merely  a  system  of  restraints  and 
punishments— a  scheme  of  painful  moral  disci- 
pline. God  may  be  viewed  only  in  the  light  of 
a  Judge ;  and  the  office  and  death  of  the  Re- 
deemer may  be  overlooked  and  neglected.  In 
this  case,  no  sure  and  certain  hope  of  a  blessed 
immortality  will  cheer  the  soul,  or  impart  its 
reviving  and  invigorating  influence.  For  Christ 
is  the  Sun  of  Righteousness,  whose  vivid  beams 
quicken  and  illuminate  the  soul,  dispel  the  mists 
of  doubt,  and  impart  at  once  the  desires  of  heaven 


ON  THE  christian's  HOPE.  363 

and  the  anticipation  of  it.  Christ  is  the  resur- 
rection and  the  life.  He  is  the  hope  of  glory.  In 
his  hght  we  see  light.  It  is  only  the  clear  and 
stedfast  view  of  the  unspeakable  mercy  and 
grace  of  God,  revealed  in  the  Gospel  of  his  Son  ; 
that  mercy  which,  through  his  blood,  cancels  so 
freely  innumerable  offences ;  that  grace  which, 
for  his  sake,  bestows  on  the  most  unworthy  such 
infinite  blessings,  which  can  communicate  peace 
and  joy  in  believing.  The  Gospel  must  be  con- 
sidered in  its  proper  light — as  glad  tidings  of 
great  joy — as  the  marvellous  display  of  infinite 
mercy  to  man,  ere  it  can  impart  to  us  a  joy  un- 
speakable and  full  of  glory. 

In  opposition  to  that  delusive  and  vain  hope 
with  which  so  many  deceive  themselves,  let  us 
now  consider  the  nature  of  that  joyful  hope  of 
the  glory  of  God  "  which  the  Scriptures  represent 
as  the  delightful  portion  of  true  believers  in 
Jesus  Christ.  I  will  first  give  a  general  view  of 
it  as  derived  from  the  sacred  writings,  and  then 
exhibit  more  in  detail  the  several  parts  of  which 
it  consists. 

The  true  servants  of  God,  then,  are  represented 
as  placing  a  delightful  and  unshaken  confidence 
in  the  security  of  his  promises  and  in  the  extent 
of  his  mercy.  Because  thou  hast  been  my 
help,"  they  say,  therefore  in  the  shadow  of  thy 
wings  will  I  rejoice."  Whom  have  I  in  heaven 
but  thee  ?  and  there  is  none  upon  earth  that  I 
desire  besides  thee."  *'Thou  shalt  guide  me  by 
thy  counsel,  and  afterwards  receive  me  to  glory." 

My  flesh  and  my  heart  faileth,  but  God  is  the 


364  ON  THE  christian's  hope. 

strength  of  my  heart,  and  my  portion  for  ever." 

And  now,  Lord,  what  wait  I  for?  Surely  my 
hope  is  even  in  thee."  I  have  trusted  in  thy 
mercy  :  my  heart  shall  rejoice  in  thy  salvation." 

Lord,  I  have  hoped  for  thy  salvation,  and  done 
thy  commandments.  Uphold  me  according  to 
thy  word,  and  let  me  not  be  ashamed  of  my 
hope."  As  for  me,  1  shall  behold  thy  face  in 
righteousness ;  I  shall  be  satisfied  when  I  awake 
with  thy  likeness." 

Such  were  the  expressions  of  confidence  in 
God  of  the  holy  fathers  of  the  church,  ere  yet 
the  Sun  of  Righteousnes  had  arisen  upon  the 
world.  After  his  appearance,  the  objects  of 
hope  become  more  distinct  and  luminous,  and 
the  confidence  in  God  more  strong  and  abiding. 
The  Lord  of  the  church  himself  had  encouraged 
in  his  disciples  a  joyful  hope  of  immortality. 

Fear  not,  little  flock :  it  is  your  Father's  good 
pleasure  to  give  you  the  kingdom."  Let  not 
your  hearts  be  troubled  :  ye  believe  in  God,  be- 
lieve also  in  me.  In  my  Father's  house  are  many 
mansions :  if  it  were  not  so,  I  would  have  told 
you.  I  go  to  prepare  a  place  for  you  :  and  if  I 
go  and  prepare  a  place  for  you,  I  will  come  again 
and  receive  you  unto  myself,  that  where  I  am 
there  ye  may  be  also." 

Agreeably  to  these  declarations,  the  disciples 
of  Christ  are  represented  as  waiting  for  the 
adoption,  for  the  redemption  of  the  body ; "  as 
**  groaning,  being  burdened  in  this  tabernacle; 
not  that  they  would  be  unclothed,  but  clothed 
upon,  that  mortality  might  be  swallowed  up  of 
life;"  as     waiting,  through  the  Spirit,  for  the 


ON  THE  christian's  HOPE.  365 

mm 

hope  of  righteousness  by  faith  :  looking  for  and 
hasting  unto  the  coming  of  the  day  of  God ; "  as 
looking  for  that  blessed  hope  and  the  glorious 
appearing  of  the  Great  God  and  our  Saviour 
Jesus  Christ ;"  as  "  waiting  for  the  coming  of 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  who  should  also  confirm 
them  to  the  end  in  the  hope  of  eternal  life,  which 
God,  that  cannot  lie,  promised  before  the  world 
began ; "  as  building  themselves  up  in  their 
most  holy  faith,  looking  for  the  mercy  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  unto  eternal  life ;  "  as  filled 
by  the  God  of  hope  with  all  joy  and  peace  in 
believing,  that  they  might  abound  in  hope 
through  the  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost."  Hence 
they  triumphed  with  a  holy  confidence,  rejoicing 
in  the  expectation  of  that  glory  ready  to  be  re- 
vealed. *'We  know,"  said  they,  that  if  our 
earthly  house  of  this  tabernacle  were  dissolved, 
we  have  a  building  of  God,  a  house  not  made 
with  hands,  eternal  in  the  heavens  :  therefore  we 
are  always  confident,  knowing  that  whilst  we 
are  at  home  in  the  body  we  are  absent  from  the 
Lord.  We  are  confident,  and  willing  rather  to 
be  absent  from  the  body,  and  to  be  present  with 
the  Lord.  For  we  know  in  whom  we  have  be- 
lieved, and  that  he  is  able  to  keep  that  which  we 
have  committed  to  him  till  that  day."  O  death, 
where  is  thy  sting  !  O  grave,  where  is  thy  victory  ! 
The  sting  of  death  is  sin,  and  the  strength  of  sin 
is  the  law ;  but  thanks  be  to  God,  who  giveth  us 
the  victory  through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ." 

Such  is  the  strain  of  holy  triumph  with  which 
the  disciples  of  Christ  contemplated  the  pro- 
spects which  opened  to  them  in  another  life. 


366  ox  THE  CHRISTIANAS  HOPE. 

Thus  they  stretched  forward  with  desire,  and 
hasted  unto  the  coming  of  their  Lord.  Nor  were 
these  empty  words.  They  cheerfully  suffered 
the  loss  of  all  things,  knowing  that  they  had  a 
more  enduring  inheritance.  They  willingly  ex- 
posed themselves  to  pain  and  sufferings,  rejoicing 
**  that  they  were  counted  worthy  to  suffer  for 
Christ's  sake  and  they  joj^fully  embraced  death 
itself  in  the  assured  expectation  of  entering  at 
once  into  eternal  life. 

If  we  examine  more  in  detail  the  happy  dis- 
position which  is  described  in  my  text,  and  in 
those  other  passages  of  Scripture  which  I  have 
mentioned,  we  shall  find  it  to  consist  in  a  firm 
belief  of  the  life  to  come— in  delightful  contem- 
plation of  its  glory — and  in  confident  expectation 
of  its  enjoyment. 

1.  In  a  jirm  belief  oi  the  life  to  come. — There 
is  an  assent  to  what  the  Scriptures  have  declared 
concerning  the  world  to  come  which  is  attended 
with  no  deep  impression  on  the  heart.  A  man 
believes  that  this  life  is  as  a  shadow  that  depart- 
eth  ;  a  vapour,  which  appeareth  for  a  little  time, 
and  then  is  gone ;  a  mere  span  and  moment  of 
time  ;  and  that  there  is  another  world,  altogether 
glorious,  in  which  the  blessed  persons  who  are 
permitted  to  enter  will  dwell  for  millions  of 
ages ; — and  yet  he  is  as  anxious  about  this  life, 
and  as  indifferent  about  that  which  is  to  come, 
as  if  he  had  believed  the  very  reverse ;  as  if  this 
life  were  eternal,  and  that  which  is  to  come  were 
a  mere  shadow.  Shall  we  say  that  such  a  person 
has  a  true  belief  of  the  world  to  come  ?    No  : 


ON  THE  christian's  HOPE. 


367 


faith  is  the  substance  of  things  hoped  for,  and 
the  evidence  of  things  not  seen."  That  is,  true 
faith  gives  a  subsistence  in  the  mind  to  things 
hoped  for :  they  remain  there  the  objects  of  joy 
and  hope;  and  it  renders  things  invisible  as  if 
they  were  evident  to  our  sight.  Faith  opens,  as 
it  were,  to  us  the  gates  of  the  blessed  regions 
above  :  it  shews  to  us,  in  a  lively  manner,  the 
glory  of  the  heavenly  mansions :  we  contemplate 
the  order,  the  harmony,  the  happiness  of  the 
blessed  spirits  of  the  just  made  perfect ;  the  pre- 
sence of  the  Great  Mediator  ;  the  favour  of  God ; 
his  wisdom,  power,  and  goodness  uniting  to  form 
an  assemblage  of  all  that  will  tend  to  make  his 
creatures  perfectly  happy.  The  prospect  which 
true  faith  gives,  realizes  heaven  to  our  view;  and 
in  comparison  of  it,  this  earth  appears  very  poor 
and  mean :  all  its  honours  fade,  all  its  pleasures 
wither,  all  its  pomp  disappears,  all  its  sufferings 
seem  to  be  but  for  a  moment,  and  the  soul  is 
swallowed  up  in  the  contemplation  of  that  eternal 
weight  of  glory  which  is  set  before  us.  Faith  must 
thus  give  us  a  bright  and  clear  view  of  the  life  to 
come :  so  that  it  must  be,  in  a  manner,  present 
with  us  ere  we  can  really  rejoice  in  hope  of  the 
glory  of  God." 

2.  This  hope  supposes  delightful  contemplation. 
— There  is  a  cold,  uninterested  manner  in  which 
many  think  and  speak  of  heaven  :  they  feel  no 
delightful  glow  of  affection,  no  grateful  emotions 
to  Him  who  formed  it  for  man,  no  transporting 
impressions  of  its  glory  and  felicity.  They  who 
can  thus  think  or  speak  of  heaven  will  not  re- 
joice in  hope  of  the  glory  of  God."  This  supposes 


368  ON  THE  christian's  hope. 

that  it  is  made  the  subject  of  frequent  and  de- 
lightful meditation,  that  we  rejoice  in  it,  that  we 
contemplate  its  glory.    It  is  called  by  way  of 
eminence     the  glory  of  God; "  as  if  the  glory  of 
God,  which  shines  through  the  whole  universe, 
were  there  collected,  as  the  light  is  in  the  sun. 
In  heaven,  the  glory  of  God  is  fully  displayed. 
His  wisdom  is  there  openly   manifested  and 
revealed,  without  a  cloud  to  obscure  it,  or  any 
defect  in  the  view  of  the  blessed  inhabitants  there 
assembled  to  behold  it.  There  is  the  power  of  his 
glory  seen  in  removing  every  evil,  in  creating 
every  good,  in  enlarging  the  capacities  of  his 
creatures  to  enjoy  perfect  happiness,  in  uniting 
them  and  assimilating  them  with  each  other,  that 
there  shall  be  no  possibility  of  jar  or  discord. 
There  is  the  glory  of  his  goodness  displayed, 
pouring  out  mercies  in  rich  profusion ;  mercies 
and  blessings  unknown  before,  and  so  numerous 
as  to  manifest  the  infinite  bounty  of  his  love.  In 
a  word,  there  all  the  attributes  of  the  Deity  meet 
together,  in  all  the  resplendent  lustre  of  glory, 
and  give  a  denomination  to  the  place  from  the 
communication  of  the  fulness  of  the  perfections 
of  the  Divine  Presence.  Now,  the  Christian  hope 
of  this  glory  implies,  that  the  soul  is  often  trans- 
ported into  those  happy  regions,  and  there  walks 
with  God — there  imbibes  somewhat  of  the  spirit 
and  temper  of  that  blessed  place,  one  glimpse  of 
which  can  afford  more  real  delight  to  the  soul  than 
all  the  pleasures  put  together  which  are  to  be  found 
in  this  transitory  life. 

3.  But,  above  all,  to  rejoice  in  hope  of  the  glory 
of  God,  implies  confident  expectation. — What  sig- 


ON  THE  christian's  HOPE.  369 

nify  to  rfie  all  the  glories  of  heaven,  unless  I  can 
entertain  a  well-founded  hope  that  I  shall  enjoy 
them  ?  To  rejoice  in  them,  therefore,  supposes 
that  I  have  a  good  hope,  through  grace,  of  being 
admitted  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven.  The  clear 
view  of  the  glory  of  heaven  would  only  tend  the 
more  to  depress  the  spirits  of  those  who  could  not 
entertain  a  hope  that  they  should  be  admitted 
there.  But  it  is  the  peculiar  glory  of  the  Gospel, 
that  they  who  truly  receive  it  may  attain  the  **  full 
assurance  of  hope,"  that,  through  the  infinite  mer- 
cies of  the  Saviour,  they  shall  be  admitted  to  that 
glorious  abode.  They  know  in  whom  they  have 
believed.  They  will  understand  his  character, 
and  entertain  no  doubt  that  he  is  equally  able 
and  willing  to  pardon  their  sins,  and  to  admit 
them  into  his  kingdom  above. 

I  would  hope,  that  this  description  of  rejoicing 
in  hope  of  the  glory  of  God  has  awakened  in  the 
breasts  of  some  amongst  you  fervent  desires  and 
aspirations  to  become  partakers  of  it.  But,  me- 
thinks,  I  hear  some  mournful  heart  reply,  Oh 
that  I  could  possess  this  joyful  hope!  My  breast 
has  long  been  a  stranger  to  such  delightful  sensa- 
tions! I  have  met  with  little  but  sorrow  and 
disappointment  in  this  world,  and  I  can  now 
anticipate  little  else  :  but  when  I  turn  to  the  con- 
templation of  another  state,  there  all  seems  to  be 
dark  and  uncertain.  My  fears  exceed  my  hopes ! 
Oh  that  I  could  indeed  obtain  such  a  hope !  How 
gladly  would  my  life  then  pass  away !  How  light 
would  all  my  present  sufferings  than  appear ! " 

To  such  an  inquirer  I  would  first  answer,  that 

VOL.  II.  2  B 


370  ON  THE  christian's  hope. 

if  he  would  obtain  this  hope,  his  heart  must  be 
wholly  devoted  to  God.  They  who  are  divided  be- 
tween God  and  mammon,  can  never  attain  this  joy- 
ful confidence.  It  is  reserved  for  those  who  have 
a  faithful  and  true  heart.  A  worldly  spirit  is  the 
great  obstacle  to  peace  in  God.  You  must  form 
your  decision.  You  must  choose  for  your  portion 
God,  or  the  world.  If  the  world — then  relin- 
quish all  expectation  of  happiness  in  God,  in 
another  state,  or  in  religion.  These  things  will 
but  poison  your  enjoyments.  Your  maxim  must 
be,  "  Let  us  eat  and  drink,  for  to-morrow  we  die." 
The  world  is  a  good  master  to  those  only  whose 
hearts  are  entirely  given  to  it.  But  if  you  revolt 
at  this ;  if  you  say,  Let  my  portion  be  in  another 
world ;  then  you  must  learn  to  place  little  depend- 
ance  upon  this — you  must  form  no  expectation  of 
happiness  from  it — you  must  guard  against  worldly 
mindedness.  "  They  that  are  after  the  flesh  do 
mind  the  things  of  the  flesh,  and  they  that  are  after 
the  Spirit  do  mind  the  things  of  the  Spirit."  If 
you  wish  to  obtain  the  hope  of  glory,  let  this  be 
made  exclusively  your  aim.  Give  yourself  up 
wholly  to  the  Divine  direction — pray  earnestly  to 
God.  Study  his  word  diligently,  follow  impli- 
citly its  directions.  Hitherto,  perhaps,  other  things 
have  been  the  object  of  your  pursuit:  now  the 
one  thing  needful  must  occupy  your  attention. 

I  would  further  exhort  you  to  seek  the  holy 
hopes  you  desire,  in  God's  appointed  way  :  that 
is,  by  faith  in  Christ  Jesus. — ^eva^  justified  by 
faithr  saith  the  Apostle,  we  have  peace  with 
God,  and  rejoice  in  hope  of  the  glory  of  God.'' 
Study,  therefore  the  Gospel,  which  is  the  grace 


ON  THE  christian's  HOPE.  371 

of  God  in  Christ.  There  you  will  see  how  won- 
derfully gracious  and  full  of  mercy  our  heavenly 
Father  is  to  all  who  believe  in  his  Son.  There 
you  will  read  the  precious  promises  which  God 
has  given  to  all  who  approach  him  in  that  name. 
There  you  will  see  Divine  justice  satisfied  by  the 
oblation  of  Christ,  once  offered  on  the  cross,  as 
a  full,  perfect,  and  complete  satisfaction  for  the 
sins  of  the  whole  world  ! "  There  you  will  learn 
that  God  can  be  glorified  in  the  salvation  of  a 
sinner,  through  Christ;  and  that  he  delights  to 
pour  out  his  blessings  on  all  who  trust  in  the 
mediation  of  his  Son.  There  you  will  see  the 
full  security  of  all  who  trust  in  him  ;  the  promise 
of  God  confirmed  by  an  oath,  that  so  by  two 
immutable  things,  in  which  it  was  impossible  for 
God  to  lie,  we  might  have  strong  consolation,  who 
have  fled  for  refuge  to  the  hope  set  before  us."  I 
cannot  better  describe  the  Gospel  than  as  a  dis- 
pensation expressly  intended  for  the  comfort  and 
peace  of  mankind,  in  which  nothing  is  omitted  to 
strengthen  their  hope,  to  encourage  their  confi- 
dence in  God :  and  to  assure  them,  that  those  who 
come  to  him  he  will  in  no  wise  cast  out.  You 
have  the  hope  of  consolation  set  before  you  in  the 
office  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  who,  from  the  Divine 
consolations  he  affords  to  those  who  live  under 
his  blessed  influence,  is  by  our  blessed  Saviour 
expressly  styled  "  the  Comforter."  The  Spirit," 
saith  the  Apostle,  witnesses  with  our  spirits  that 
we  are  the  children  of  God ;  and  if  children,  then 
heirs,  heirs  of  God,  and  joint-heirs  with  Christ. 
Tf  so  be  that  we  suffer  with  him,  that  we  may  be 
also  glorified  together." 


372  ON  THE  christian's  hope. 

See,  then,  the  care  which  our  heavenly  Father 
has  taken  to  dispel  all  doubt  and  anxiety  in  the 
minds  of  his  real  disciples.  Can  any  thing  be 
more  clear  than  his  willingness  to  save  you?  Is 
there  any  reason  for  doubt  or  hesitation?  Who 
shall  lay  any  thing  to  the  charge  of  God's  elect  ? 
It  is  God  that  justifieth  ;  who  is  he  that  condemn- 
eth  ?  It  is  Christ  that  died  ;  yea,  rather,  that  is 
risen  again,  who  is  ever  at  the  right  hand  of  God 
interceding  for  us." 

Yet,  while  I  describe  this  rich  and  full  provi- 
sion for  peace  and  hope,  which  God  has  made 
in  the  dispensation  of  the  Gospel,  let  it  not  be 
thought  that  the  Holy  Spirit  will  seal  these  bless- 
ings to  the  careless,  the  worldly,  or  the  sinful 
professors  of  his  religion.  No !  if  you  value 
the  hope  of  glory,  you  will  walk  according  to  the 
vocation  with  which  you  are  called.  He  that 
hath  this  hope  purifieth  himself,  even  as  he  is 
pure."  This  is  the  scriptural  guard  against  a 
presumptuous  abuse  of  this  doctrine.  If  you 
do  enjoy  a  hope  of  glory  while  your  tempers  are 
unsanctified,  Avhile  you  are  living  under  the  do- 
minion of  sin,  know  that  your  hope  is  presump- 
tion. If  our  hearts  condemn  us  not,"  says  the 
Apostle,  we  have  confidence  towards  God." 
Indeed,  there  will  necessarily  be  a  beautiful 
correspondence  and  harmony  in  every  part  of  the 
conduct  of  those  whose  heart  is  right  with  God. 
The  hope  of  heaven  will  be  closely  and  insepa- 
rably connected  with  that  purity  of  mind,  and 
that  love  to  God,  which  will  preserve  the  soul 
from  sin. 

Thus  may  you  attain  this  joyful  hope  of  glory. 


ON  THE  christian's  HOPE.  273 

And  why,  then,  do  we  so  incessantly  listen  to 
complaints  of  misery  and  sorrow?  Is  there  no 
remedy  ?  O  ye  afflicted,  who  arc  ready  to  cry 
there  is  no  hope  for  you  !  would  to  God  you 
would  cease  to  seek  for  happiness  from  the  world, 
and  endeavour  to  derive  it  from  God !  One  faith- 
ful prayer  will  more  calm  the  mind  than  the  full 
indulgence  of  your  fondest  earthly  hopes.  Cease, 
then,  to  hew  out  broken  cisterns,  which  can  hold 
no  water;  and  come  to  God,  the  Fountain  of 
living  waters.  Hitherto  you  have  sought  for 
peace  in  the  world :  now  begin  to  seek  it  in  God 
only ;  seek  a  peace  of  a  pure  and  spiritual  kind, 
fit  for  an  immortal  spirit  to  receive,  and  for  an 
infinite  God  to  bestow. 

Would  to  God,  that  every  one  who  hears  me 
would  make  this  transporting  hope  of  glory  the 
object  of  his  serious  endeavours  and  his  fervent 
prayers !  How  light  would  all  our  trials  and 
sufferings  then  appear,  when  the  prospect  of 
eternal  glory  was  ever  dawning  upon  us  !  What 
an  armour  of  defence  would  it  be  against  every 
danger,  if  you  could  say,  All  is  well;  for  I  now 
can  confidently  look  up  to  God  as  my  Father, 
and  to  heaven  as  my  home  ! "  What  a  defence 
against  the  fear  of  poverty  or  pain,  continually 
to  rejoice  in  the  prospect  of  a  heavenly  inherit- 
ance !  It  would  be  a  treasure  which  would  make 
us  rich  indeed.  And  how  unspeakably  valuable 
would  it  be  in  that  solemn  hour  when  we  must 
quit  this  life,  and  all  our  expectations  from  it! 
My  brethren,  I  speak  to  you  as  dying  men.  The 
hour  cannot  be  very  far  distant,  when  you  and 


374  ON  THE  christian's  hope. 

I  must  lie  on  a  death-bed:  and  what  will  then 
appear  to  be  the  value  of  a  well-founded  hope 
of  glory  ?  Oh !  what  transporting  happiness  will 
it  be  then  to  be  able  to  say,  "  I  bless  God,  it  is 
well  with  me  :  1  have  no  fears  of  death :  I  enjoy 
a  delightful  hope  of  glory.  I  am  willing  to  quit 
this  corrupt  and  sinful  world,  that  my  happy 
spirit  may  join  my  Redeemer,  and  the  glorious 
company  of  the  ransomed  above!"  Which  of  you 
does  not  say,  May  this  be  my  lot !  Let  me  die 
the  death  of  the  righteous,  and  let  my  last  end 
be  like  his." 

But,  alas !  I  must  also  address  many  who  enjoy 
no  such  hope  of  glory.  The  hour  of  death  would 
come  upon  them  with  dreadful  terror  and  fearful 
apprehensions.  And  O  what  a  state !  To  be 
summoned  to  appear  before  God  with  a  spirit 
oppressed  by  dreadful  forebodings  and  bitter 
reflections  ;  to  have  no  cheering  prospects  of  the 
glory  ready  to  be  revealed ;  to  be  a  stranger  to 
the  precious  promises  of  the  Gospel;  to  die  in 
darkness,  without  one  ray  of  light  from  Heaven 
to  enlighten  the  dreary  passage  1  Alas !  that 
any  who  have  lived  in  a  Christian  land,  any 
who  have  sat  under  the  sound  of  the  Gospel,  and 
have  been  hearing  continually  of  the  salvation  of 
Christ  Jesus,  should  be  found  at  last  in  this  mi- 
serable state  !  My  brethren,  whose  consciences 
testify  that  this  would  be  your  state  if  you  were 
summoned  to-night  to  meet  your  God,  I  beseech 
you  by  the  mercies  of  God,  by  the  redemption 
of  Jesus  Christ,  by  the  regard  you  feel  for  your 
own  salvation,  think  of  these  things.    Pause  for 


ON  THE  christian's  HOPE.  375 

awhile,  and  ask  whether  you  choose  to  die  eter- 
nally. On  the  other  hand,  reflect  on  the  hap- 
piness of  enjoying  a  hope  full  of  immortality. 
Which  will  you  choose  ?  Heaven  and  hell  are 
set  before  you.  Go,  decide  which  shall  be  your 
portion.  God  soon  will  send  the  messenger  of 
death,  to  know  your  determination.  May  you  in 
that  hour  be  able  to  say,  Lord,  I  have  waited  for 
thy  salvation ! 


376 


SERMON  XXV. 

ON  THE  christian's  PEACE. 


JOHN  Xiv.  27. 

Peace  I  leave  with  you;  my  peace  I  give  unto  you: 
not  as  the  voorld  givethy  give  I  unto  you.  Let  not 
your  heart  he  troubled,  neither  let  it  he  afrcdd. 

These  words  are  a  part  of  the  last  discourse 
which  our  blessed  Saviour  held  with  his  dis- 
ciples before  his  crucifixion.  They  are  replete 
with  that  tenderness  and  kindness  which  were  so 
conspicuous  in  his  character.  His  apprehension 
of  the  bitter  sufferings  and  ignominious  death 
which  he  was  himself  about  to  undergo,  seemed 
to  be  entirely  lost  in  the  consideration  of  that 
distress  which  his  disciples  would  endure  when 
they  should  behold  their  beloved  Master  so 
cruelly  treated,  and  so  unexpectedly  taken  from 
them.  He  therefore  uses  the  most  endearing 
expressions,  and  suggests  the  most  affecting 
topics  of  consolation.  He  assures  them,  that  he 
would  not  leave  them  comfortless,  but  would 
send  the  Holy  Spirit,  the  Comforter  from  above, 
to  supply  his  place,  till  he  should  come  again 
and  take  them  to  himself,  to  dwell  with  him  in 
those  mansions  of  glory  which  he  was  going  to 
prepare  for  them.    In  the  mean  time,  ''Peace," 


THE  christian's  PEACE.  377 

he  adds,  **  I  leave  with  you :  my  peace  I  give 
unto  you :  not  as  the  world  giveth,  give  I  unto 
you."  This  is  my  last  and  solemn  bequest — 
peace — my  peace — such  as  I  have  myself  enjoyed, 
and  as  my  Gospel  is  eminently  calculated  to 
produce ; — peace  with  God  as  your  reconciled 
Father — peace  amongst  each  other  as  my  bre- 
thren— and  a  blessed  sunshine  and  serenity  in 
your  own  bosoms,  which  no  outward  actions 
shall  darken  or  disturb,  because  it  shall  be  inde- 
pendent of  sublunary  things,  and  inspired  imme 
diately  from  Heaven.  For  I  give  you  peace 
not  as  the  world  giveth."  It  is  not  an  unmeaning 
compliment — a  mere  parting  salutation,  or  an 
unavailing  wish  for  your  welfare,  valuable  only 
as  a  token  of  my  regard  ;  neither  is  it  that  tran- 
sient and  delusive  peace  which  worldly  prospe- 
rity may  sometimes  afford.  I  leave  you  the 
substantial  blessing — such  as  the  world,  with  all 
its  enjoyments,  cannot  give,  nor,  with  all  its 
vexations,  take  away.  Therefore,  let  not  your 
heart  be  troubled,  neither  let  it  be  afraid."  Be 
not  disquieted  at  the  prospect  of  my  departure, 
nor  dread  any  calamity  which  may  threaten  you 
when  I  am  gone. 

These  promises  were  not  given  to  the  imme- 
diate followers  of  Christ  alone,  but  to  all,  in 
every  age,  who  should  believe  in  his  name.  At 
his  departure  from  this  world  of  sin  and  sorrow, 
he  left  this  blessing  to  his  first  disciples,  and, 
through  their  ministry,  to  his  whole  church. 

Peace"  by  him  was  to  be  preached  in  every 
nation ;  and  all  believers  are  interested  in  the 
bequest,   and.  may  claim  its  fullest  benefit. 


378  THE  christian's  peace. 

Come,  therefore,  O  ye  disciples  of  Jesus  Christ ! 
and  let  us  contemplate  the  nature  of  that  legacy 
which  our  departing  Master  has  left  us.  Let  us 
survey  this,  our  blessed  inheritance ;  and,  while 
we  meditate  on  this  peace,  may  the  Holy  Spirit 
shed  it  abroad  abundantly  in  our  hearts ! 

Perfect  peace  is  a  calm  and  tranquil  state  of 
mind,  free  from  tumult  and  anxiety,  alarmed  by 
no  dangers,  ruffled  by  no  passions,  corroded  by 
no  cares,  disturbed  by  no  guilt,  satisfied  with  its 
lot  on  earth,  and  reposing  with  cheerful  confi- 
dence on  the  care  of  a  Father  who  is  in  heaven. 
Such  was  the  frame  of  mind  which  our  holy 
Master  enjoyed;  such  is  the  disposition  which  he 
intends  his  faithful  disciples  to  enjoy  habitually. 

Now,  of  such  a  peace,  the  great  enemy  is  guilt. 
For  how  can  peace  be  an  inmate  in  the  breast 
which  is  continually  wounded  by  the  goads  of  an 
accusing  conscience?  How  can  it  dwell  with 
trouble  and  perplexity,  with  shame  and  remorse, 
with  painful  recollections,  and  foreboding  fears  ? 
Guilt  corrodes  the  mind  ;  stings  it  with  th^ 
bitterest  reflections  ;  alarms  it  with  the  most 
dreadful  apprehensions  of  punishment ;  repre- 
sents God  as  an  offended  Deity,  and  a  severe,  in- 
exorable Judge.  In  the  ears  of  the  wicked,  it  is 
said,  there  is  a  dreadful  sound.  He  knoweth 
that  the  day  of  darkness  is  ready  at  his  hand, 
and  trouble  and  anguish  make  him  afraid." 
What  peace,  then,  can  the  mind  enjoy  in  such 
a  state  ?  How  certainly  and  strongly  does  the 
awakened  conscience  reject  every  intimation  of 
it!  *'  What  hast  thou  to  do  with  peace  ?  "  is  the 
taunting  reply  with  which  Conscience  forbids 


THE  christian's  PEACE. 


379 


the  guilty  soul  to  listen  to  the  voice  of  consola- 
tion. 

But  Jesus  removes  our  guilt.  His  Gospel  sets 
before  us  a  Fountain  opened  for  sin  and  unclean- 
ness,  in  which  the  most  polluted  may  wash  and 
be  cleansed.  It  points  to  the  atoning  sacrifice — 
the  Lamb  of  God,  who  taketh  away  the  sins 
of  the  world — and  declares  the  ability  and  the 
willingness  of  Christ  to  cancel  our  guilt,  and  to 
restore  us  to  the  Divine  favour.  From  the  con- 
trite, therefore,  and  the  broken  in  heart,  who 
rely  on  this  great  Redeemer,  the  curse  is  re- 
moved ;  for  their  reconciliation  with  God  is  ef- 
fected, the  disturbing  power  of  guilt  is  destroyed, 
and  a  sure  foundation  laid  on  which  the  super- 
structure of  peace  may  rest. 

Another  certain  obstacle  to  peace  is  an  impart 
and  unholy  disposition. — Consider  how  extrava- 
gant, and  often  how  inconsistent,  are  the  objects 
which  sin  presents  to  the  mind ;  how  inordinate 
and  lawless  the  desires  which  it  excites;  how 
unjust  and  violent  the  means  by  which  it  prompts 
us  to  seek  the  indulgence  of  them ;  and  how  many 
and  turbulent  passions  are  thus  continually  in- 
flaming and  agitating  the  bosom!  Under  such 
a  controul,  how  easily  is  the  soul  inflated  by 
success,  irritated  by  disappointment,  or  stung 
by  provocation !  How  frequently  is  it  elevated 
by  wild,  unreasonable  hopes,  to  be  depressed  as 
deeply  when  the  expectation  fails  !  What  painful 
anxiety  attends  the  pursuit,  even  where  it  is  suc- 
cessful! What  can  be  the  peace  of  that  mind 
which  is  swayed  by  ambition  or  avarice — which 
is  full  of  envy,  murder,  deceit,  malignity ;  proud. 


380  THE  christian's  peace. 

boastful,  an  inventor  of  evil  things,  implacable, 
unmerciful !  These  we  know ;  and  such  as  these, 
are  the  works  and  dispositions  of  the  flesh  ;  and 
they  exist  in  one  degree  or  other,  and  cause 
more  or  less  disturbance  in  every  carnal  mind. 
Can  peace,  then,  be  the  result  of  such  a  state  ? 
The  nature  of  man,  and  the  immutable  laws  of 
God  forbid  it.  ''There  is  no  peace,"  saith  God, 
"  to  the  wicked."  They  are  *'like  the  troubled 
sea  when  it  cannot  rest,  whose  waters  cast  up 
mire  and  dirt."  But  suppose  that  the  sinful 
propensity  is  not  of  this  strong  and  turbulent 
character;  and  that  it  is  no  more  than  a  cold 
selfishness  of  heart,  or  a  love  of  this  present 
world,  which,  though  neither  ardent  nor  active, 
has  yet  excluded  from  the  soul  every  other 
affection :  can  such  a  temper  consist  with  peace  ? 
No  :  there  is  a  vexation  in  the  very  vanity  of  all 
human  wishes  which  are  not  regulated  and  di- 
rected by  the  word  of  God.  And  as  in  the  body, 
there  can  be  neither  .ease  nor  health  unless  its 
functions  are  duly  performed,  according  to  the 
laws  of  the  animal  economy;  so  the  acts  and 
motions  of  the  soul  can  never  promote  its  well- 
being  and  happiness,  unless  they  all  proceed 
agreeably  to  its  original  constitution.  The  af- 
fections must  be  placed  on  fit  objects ;  the 
faculties  employed  for  right  ends;  the  various 
powers  kept  in  due  subordination  to  each  other ; 
and  the  tendency  of  all  must  be  to  preserve  that 
pure  and  holy  character  which  God  originally 
impressed  upon  the  soul  of  our  first  parent,  and 
which  it  is  the  office  of  the  Holy  Spirit  to  renew. 
As  the  heart  deviates  more  from  the  word  of 


THE  christian's  PEACE.  381 

God,  it  departs  farther  from  a  state  of  rest  and 
ease.  And  though  there  are  corrupt  and  unholy 
dispositions,  which  are  comparatively  passive 
and  calm,  yet  they  are  too  poor  and  sordid,  too 
much  beneath  the  dignity  and  destination  of  the 
soul,  to  afford  it  that  serene  and  full  satisfaction 
which  can  justly  be  called  peace.  For  peace  is 
of  a  pure  and  dignified  character.  The  mind 
which  is  prepared  for  it  has  no  bye  ends  to  an- 
swer ;  nothing  base,  which  it  wishes  to  conceal ; 
nothing  dishonourable,  which  can  tinge  the  cheek 
with  shame.  It  endeavours  to  approve  itself 
to  God,  pursues  the  objects  which  he  proposes, 
refers  its  actions  to  him  as  their  source  and  their 
end.  Such  a  mind  is  disinterested,  and  seeks 
only  the  praise  which  cometh  from  God :  it  is 
kind  and  generous,  and  desires  the  good  of  all 
mankind  :  it  is  pure,  and  always  aspiring  to  what 
is  excellent :  it  is  humble,  without  ambitious  or 
lofty  views ;  and  meek  and  unpresuming,  so  that 
it  suffers  but  little  from  disappointments.  Pride 
which  inflates,  jealousy  which  corrodes,  anger 
which  enrages,  grief  which  consumes,  despair 
which  destroys  the  mind,  have  no  place  in  the 
Christian  character ;  for  they  that  are  Christ's 
have  crucified  the  flesh,  with  its  affections  and 
lusts."  The  religion  of  Christ  is  a  dispensation 
of  holiness,  and  the  grand  instrument  to  promote 
it.  It  is  the  preparation  of  the  soul  for  the  en- 
joyment of  a  state  of  peace  here  which  is  similar 
in  its  origin,  nature,  and  means,  to  that  eternal 
peace  which  shall  be  enjoyed  above. 

Anxiety  about  the  future  forms  another  obstacle 
to  the  enjoyment  of  true  peace. — How  many  are 


382  THE  christian's  peace. 

there  who  cannot  enjoy  the  present,  because  their 
minds  are  filled  with  painful  apprehensions  of 
what  is  to  come  !  The  want  of  sufficient  provision 
for  a  family,  the  fear  of  some  approaching  loss  or 
pain,  the  dread  of  some  threatened  danger,  the 
recurring  care  about  some  expected  event,  will 
often  haunt  the  mind,  and  render  it  a  prey  to  the 
severest  disquiet.  But  the  Gospel  of  Christ  is 
calculated  to  remove  such  cares,  and  to  induce 
tranquillity  and  calm  ;  for  it  cuts  off  the  sources 
of  anxiety  by  diminishing  the  supposed  impor- 
tance of  those  objects  which  otherwise  exercise 
an  undue  influence  on  the  mind — which  fill  it 
with  groundless  fears,  or  elate  it  with  unreasonable 
hopes.  The  Gospel*  lessens  the  value  of  all  hu- 
man things,  and  substitutes  for  them  objects  of 
a  higher  and  a  nobler  class; — the  favour  of  the 
blessed  God,  the  salvation  of  the  immortal  soul, 
an  interest  in  the  death  and  intercession  of  our 
Saviour,  the  sanctifying  influence  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  the  Spirit  of  adoption,  whereby  we  cry 
Abba,  Father,  the  hope  which  is  full  of  immor- 
tality. These  appear,  to  him  who  is  properly 
trained  in  the  school  of  Christ,  objects  of  inesti- 
mable value  ;  so  that,  in  comparison  of  them,  all 
anxieties  of  a  worldly  kind  are  of  little  moment. 
And  further,  our  blessed  Lord  has  taught  his 
disciples  to  repose  upon  the  parental  care,  the 
tender  love  which  their  Father,  who  is  in  heaven, 
has  manifested  for  them.  Behold  the  fowls  of 
the  air,  for  they  sow  not,  neither  do  they  reap 
nor  gather  into  barns ;  yet  your  heavenly  Father 
feedeth  them  :  are  ye  not  much  better  than  they? 
Wherefore,  take  no"  anxious    thought,  saying. 


T«E  CHRrSTIAN's  PEACE. 


383 


What  shall  we  eat,  or  what  shall  we  drink,  or 
wherewithal  shall  we  be  clothed?  for  after  all 
these  things  do  the  Gentiles  seek ;  for  your  hea- 
venly Father  knoweth  that  ye  have  need  of  these 
things  :  but  seek  ye  first  the  kingdom  of  God 
and  his  righteousness,  and  all  these  things  shall 
be  added  unto  you." 

Thus  faith  teaches  us  to  place  a  perpetual 
reliance  on  the  care  of  our  heavenly  Father ;  it 
sooths  the  anxious  mind,  and  disperses  unrea- 
sonable fears.  Thou  shalt  keep  him  in  perfect 
peace  whose  mind  is  stayed  upon  thee." 

The  three  grand  sources  of  inquietude,  guilt, 
and  unholy  dispositions ,  and  care,  being  thus  re- 
moved, there  remains  no  obstacle  to  the  enjoy- 
ment of  peace ;  a  peace  pure  and  holy,  a  peace 
solid  and  stable,  the  peace  of  God  which  passeth 
all  understanding ;  all  the  joyful  prospects  and 
cheering  hopes  of  the  Gospel,  all  the  love  of  a 
Saviour,  and  the  various  blessings  of  his  salvation, 
may  then  be  received  into  the  mind,  and  fill  it 
with  a  joy  unspeakable  and  full  of  glory,  I  do 
not,  however,  affirm,  that  this  blessed  peace  will 
be  necessarily  and  universally  enjoyed  by  the 
faithful  disciples  of  Christ :  for,  alas  !  their  faith 
is  often  imperfect,  weak,  and  unstable  ;  their 
knowledge,  low  and  confused  ;  their  religion 
languid,  and  their  sanctification  incomplete. 
Bodily  indisposition  will  sometimes  enfeeble  the 
mind,  and  render  it  the  prey  of  groundless  ap- 
prehensions :  we  speak,  therefore,  only  of  the 
proper  and  direct  tendency  of  the  Christian  sys- 
tem ;  of  the  manifest  intention  and  design  of  its 
great  Founder.    And  we  say,  that  wherever  its 


384  THE  CHRISTIAN  S  PEACE. 

principles  have  full  scope ;  wherever  the  heart 
embraces  it  without  reserve ;  wherever  its  pre- 
cepts are  cheerfully  received  and  followed  ; 
wherever  prayer  is  constantly  and  devoutly  ad- 
dressed to  God,  and  the  holy  Scriptures  valued 
as  the  sources  of  consolation  and  the  guides  of 
life,  there  a  holy  tranquillity  and  peace  of  mind 
will  be  obtained,  and  the  invaluable  bequest  of 
our  Saviour  really  enjoyed.  My  peace,"  says 
he,  "  I  give  unto  you  ! "  Every  doctrine  of  the 
Gospel  is  intended  to  make  way  for  this  peace : 
every  promise  points  to  this  design  :  every  action 
of  our  honoured  Redeemer,  every  gracious  word 
which  he  uttered,  every  sacrifice  of  love  which 
he  performed,  all  refer  manifestly  to  this  object, 
and  have  a  strong  and  direct  tendency  to  pro- 
mote it. 

Let  them  tell,  for  they  only  are  the  just  and 

legitimate  witnesses,  who  have  passed  from 
darkness  into  light,  and  from  the  power  of 
Satan  unto  God  ; — let  them  describe  the  folly 
and  vanity,  the  low  ends,  the  vain  expectations, 
the  turbulent  desires  and  corrupt  motives,  w^hich 
once  occupied  their  minds;  let  them  say  how 
impossible  it  was  for  them,  in  that  state,  to  enjoy 
true  serenity  and  solid  peace.  But  hear  them 
also  describe  how,  when  the  Day-star  of  righte- 
ousness arose  and  the  love  of  God  was  shed 
abroad  in  their  hearts,  they  felt  a  pure  and  holy 
calm  substituted  for  the  turbulence  by  which 
they  were  before  agitated. 

The  peace  which  Christ  gives  to  his  disciples 
is  compared  in  the  text  with  that  which  the 
world  gives:     My  peace  I  give  unto  you  ;  not 


THE  christian's  PEACE. 


385 


as  the  world  giveth,  give  I  unto  you."  The  peace 
of  the  world  is  the  peace  which  arises  from  mere 
sublunary  sources  ;  the  satisfaction  which  men 
feel  when  their  worldly  schemes  succeed — when 
their  corn,  and  wine,  and  oil  increase.  Now 
such  peace  is  low  in  its  origin  ;  it  is  fallacious  in 
its  appearance;  it  is  uncertain  in  its  attainment; 
it  depends  on  the  caprice  of  others,  on  circum- 
stances and  events  which  we  cannot  controul ;  it 
disappoints  us  in  the  possession,  and  is  transitory 
in  its  enjoyment.    The  world  is  like  a  hard 
master,  giving  with  a  niggardly  hand,  and  con- 
ferring scanty  and  partial  rewards ;  often  with- 
held where  most  merited,  and  bestowed  where 
there  is  least  claim  to  them :  it  deceives  us 
where  we  most  trusted,  and  fails  us  where  we 
most  wanted   it.  —  Not  so  the  Master  whom 
Christians  serve.    Does  he  promise  peace  to  his 
servants  ?  He  confers  it  liberally — he  bestows  it 
freely :  he  expects  no  return  of  obligation  :  he 
grants  it  universally  to  all  his  disciples  :  he  dis- 
appoints none  that  truly  seek  it.    His  peace  is  a 
treasure  invaluable  to  those  who  possess  it.  En- 
joyment produces  no  satiety ;  length  of  possession 
does  not  cloy  the  mind :  and  as  he  gives  not  as 
the  world  giveth,  so  neither  can  the  world  de- 
prive us  of  that  peace  which  he  bestows.  While 
the  faith  is  strong,  and  the  heart  pure,  worldly 
troubles  assail  us  in  vain.   The  Christian  remains 
unshaken  amidst  the  storms  and  tempests  which 
wreck  the  peace  of  others,  and  dash  all  their 
high  hopes  to  the  ground.    Christian  peace,  and 
the  peace  of  this  world,  differ  as  the  characters 
of  the  different  masters  who  confer  it.  Christ 
VOL.  II .  2  c 


38J5 


THE  christian's  PEACE. 


has  all  power  ;  is  full  of  mercy ;  abounds  in 
compassion,  in  goodness,  and  love.  Christ  was 
pure  and  holy  in  all  his  conduct,  influenced  only 
by  the  most  exalted  views—the  glory  of  God 
and  the  good  of  man.  His  service  cannot  be 
hard  ;  his  rewards  cannot  be  worthless  ;  his 
peace  cannot  be  empty.  It  will  partake  of  the 
character  of  Him  who  bestows  it :  Divine  in  its 
origin,  pure  in  its  nature,  powerful  in  its  effects, 
glorious  in  its  possession,  durable  in  its  continu- 
ance. It  will  be  indeed  the  earnest  of  that  peace 
which  the  same  Lord  bestows  upon  the  blessed 
inhabitants  of  his  kingdom. 

But  can  it  then  be  necessary  to  take  pains  in 
commending  to  you  that  peace  which  the  Son  of 
God  bestows  ?  Is  it  not  superfluous  thus  to 
institute  a  comparison  between  Christian  peace 
and  the  peace  of  this  world  ?  xA.las !  my  bre- 
thren, I  know  too  well  the  fatal  charm  which  the 
world  exercises  over  us  :  I  know  but  too  w^ell 
how  it  ensnares  the  mind,  captivates  the  affec- 
tions, blinds  the  understanding,  and  enchains  the 
reason.  Things  present,  and  things  visible,  have, 
in  our  present  fallen  state,  an  unreasonable  and 
most  injurious  influence.  Hence  the  salvation 
and  the  peace  of  Christ,  the  hope  of  glory,  the 
happiness  of  heaven,  have  little  of  their  due 
w^eight  and  eff'ect.  The  business  of  the  preacher, 
the  employment  of  the  Sabbath,  is  intended  to 
counteract  this  influence  of  earthly  things,  and 
to  give  to  the  joys  set  before  us  their  due  and 
just  preponderance.  In  pursuance  of  this  design, 
it  is  my  duty  to  warn  you,  my  beloved  friends, 
not  to  seek  for  a  peace  which  you  cannot  obtain : 


THE  christian's  PEACE.  387 

that  you  do  not,  in  the  emphatic  language  of 
Scripture,  spend  your  money  for  that  which  is 
not  bread,  and  your  labour  for  that  which  satis- 
fieth  not :  that  you  do  not  hew  out  to  yourselves 
cisterns,  broken  cisterns,  which  can  hold  no 
water,  and  forsake  the  living  fountain  of  which 
you  may  drink  and  live  for  ever. 

If  the  two  pursuits  were  compatible  with 
each  other ;  if  you  could  at  the  same  time  serve 
mammon,  and  serve  God ;  if  you  could  obey  the 
world  as  your  master,  and  seek  the  peace  which 
it  offers,  whilst  you  neglected  not  the  peace  which 
Christ  communicates  ;  then  these  cautions  would 
be  useless.  But  this,  I  fear,  is  the  common 
and  fatal  error  of  mankind.  They  think  the 
service  of  the  world  compatible  with  the  service 
of  God.  They  would  divide  their  allegiance. 
They  would  combine  and  incorporate  the  two 
services  which  are  absolutely  inconsistent  with 
each  other. 

The  question  is  not,  whether,  with  the  peace  of 
God  in  the  heart,  we  may  not  reasonably  and 
moderately  enjoy  that  portion  of  worldly  things 
which  God  in  his  bounty  has  given  to  us.  On 
that  subject  there  is  no  room  for  reasonable 
doubt.  We  ought,  with  thanksgiving  to  the 
bountiful  Author  of  our  blessings,  to  accept  and 
use  the  temporal  enjoyments  he  has  afforded  us : 
but  the  question  is,  whether  we  may  set  our 
hearts  on  the  world ;  whether  we  may  labour 
chiefly  for  the  meat  which  perisheth ;  whether 
we  may  devote  ourselves  to  the  service  of  the 
w^orld.  And  what  saith  the  Scripture  ?  Set 
your  affections  on  things  above  ;  not  on  things  on 

2  C  2 


388 


THE  CHRISTIAN*S  PEACE. 


the  earth."  Our  hearts  must  be  where  our  trea- 
sure is — in  heaven :  Jesus  Christ  must  be  that 
Master  whose  commands  we  faithfully  obey,  and 
whom  we  are  chiefly  intent  to  please.  Our  chief 
desire  must  be  to  grow  in  grace,  and  in  the 
knowledge  of  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord;  our, most 
anxious  endeavours  to  be  holy,  as  he  is  holy. 
All  earthly  distinctions  and  pursuits  must  possess 
but  a  secondary  place  in  our  hearts :  for  till  we 
attain  this  state  we  shall  want  the  due  disposition 
of  a  servant  of  the  Most  High — we  shall  not  pay 
him  the  allegiance  which  is  his  due.  The  world 
is  the  enemy  of  God,  the  rival  of  his  authority, 
the  usurper  of  his  throne  :  and  allegiance  to  an 
usurper  and  to  the  lawful  prince  cannot  consist 
together.  Our  ruling  principle  is  corrupt,  till 
we  love  God  with  all  our  heart,  with  all  our 
soul,  and  with  all  our  strength  ;  and  till  the  love 
of  father,  mother,  brethren,  of  all  earthly  rela- 
tions, and  even  of  life  itself,  are  brought  to  yield 
to  the  love  of  Christ.  And  the  reason  of  this  is 
not  because  Christ  is  a  hard  or  arbitrary  Master, 
but  because  God  can  never  be  valued  as  he  ought 
while  any  other  being  is  held  in  greater  or  in 
equal  regard. 

Hence  it  is  that  inordinate  worldly  cares  and 
worldly  anxieties  are  incompatible  with  the  peace 
which  Christ  giveth.  They  shew  that  the  mind 
is  not  fully  and  firmly  set  upon  the  things  that 
are  excellent ; upon  the  favour  of  God,  and  the 
attainment  of  heaven. 

Permit  me,  my  brethren,  to  warn  you,  with  all 
the  earnestness  of  one  who  has  felt  your  danger, 
and  all  the  affection  of  one  who  feels  tenderly 


THE  christian's  PEACE. 


389 


for  your  welfare,  that  you  seek  not  peace  and 
happiness  from  worldly  things.    Consider  the 
anxious  mind,  the  wasting  desire,  the  unceasing- 
labour  to  obtain  the  things  of  this  world,  as 
equally  foolish  and  sinful.    Repress  all  such  de- 
sires ;  hold  them  unlawful ;  be  watchful  against 
their  entrance ;  regard  them  as  your  enemies. 
Behold,  a  far  nobler  object  is  held  out  to  you  by 
your  God.    You  are  heirs  to  higher  hopes — to  a 
glorious  inheritance ;  render  not  yourselves  un- 
worthy of  it  by  a  mind  too  grovelling  and  sordid 
for  its  enjoyment.     Reject  not  the  manna  of 
angels,  to  feed  on  husks,  the  food  of  swine. 
Quit  not  the  society  of  the  blessed,  to  mix  in  the 
riot  of  fools.    Let  not  the  word  of  God  declare 
to  you  in  vain,  that  "  all  flesh  is  grass,  and  all 
the  goodliness  of  it  as  the  flower  of  the  field." 
Let  not  the  minister  of  Christ  in  vain  urge  you 
to     love  not  the  world,  nor  the  things  of  the 
world ; "  since  "  if  any  man  love  the  world,  the 
love  of  the  Father  is  not  in  him."    Let  not  uni- 
versal experience  tell  you,  without  effect,  that 
all  below  is  vanity  and  vexation  of  spirit.  Be 
persuaded :  the  combined  voice  of  God,  of  rea- 
son, and  of  experience,  deserves  attention  and 
obedience.    What  farther  evidence  would  you 
wish !    Your  own  conscience  confirms  this  con- 
current testimony.    Be  wise,  then,  and  seek  for 
that  peace  which  is  too  rich  a  blessing  to  pro- 
ceed from  any  but  a  Divine  hand ;  too  valuable 
to  be  given  to  any  but  those  who  will  honour  it 
aright. 

Should  any  one  who  has  hitherto  been  seeking 
from  the  world  a  peace  which  he  cannot  find 


390 


THE  christian's  PEACE. 


there,  be  induced,  from  what  has  been  said,  to 
inquire  with  real  earnestness  how  he  must  obtain 
the  peculiar  peace  of  a  Christian,  I  would  reply: 
He  must  labour  to  detach  his  heart,  and  wean 
his  affections  from  the  world,  which  is  the  grand 
rival  of  Christ.    He  must  impress  strongly  upon 
his  mind  the  vanity  of  the  world,  the  folly  of  its 
cares,  the  emptiness  of  its  enjoyments,  and  guard 
against  indulging  a  desire  for  worldly  things  as 
his  portion.   I  would  further  exhort  him,  to  pray 
that  his  eyes  may  be  opened  to  see  his  true 
state.    Let  him  implore  God  so  to  enlighten  and 
strengthen  him,  that  the  salvation  of  his  immortal 
soul  may  become  the  great  object  of  his  life ; 
and  that  his  affections,  hitherto  misplaced,  may 
be  set  upon  those  noble  and  substantial  objects, 
which  will  endure  when  this  world  and  all  its 
concerns  shall  have  long  ceased  to  exist.  We 
must  not  expect  that  such  a  total  change  of 
mind,  such  a  moral  revolution,  will  take  place 
at  once;  but  it  ought  at  once  to  become,  as 
Scripture  and  reason  sufficiently  demonstrate,  our 
grand  object  to  attain  it.   This  must  be  the  chief 
end  of  our  endeavours — the  important  business 
of  our  lives. 

And,  further,  our  applications  to  the  Son  of 
God,  the  Saviour  of  the  world,  who  alone  can 
give  light  to  the  understanding,  purity  to  the 
heart,  soundness  to  the  judgment,  a  right  direc- 
tion to  the  affections,  and  peace  to  the  conscience, 
must  be  earnest  and  constant.  Christ  must  be- 
come our  Saviour,  to  whom  we  trust  for  life  and 
happiness ;  our  Master,  whom  we  are  to  serve 
continually.    Bought  by  his  blood,  we  are  to 


THE  christian's  PEACE.  391 

surrender  ourselves  to  him  ;  and,  believing  in  him, 
we  are  humbly  to  expect  salvation  from  his  free 
and  unmerited  grace. 

In  this  renewed  state,  it  will  become  us  to 
guard  against  every  thing  which  would  draw 
off  our  attention  and  our  affections  from  Christ. 
We  must  cherish  a  godly  jealousy  and  fear,  lest, 
through  the  subtilty  of  Satan,  the  allurements  of 
the  world,  or  the  corruption  of  nature,  our  hearts 
be  drawn  aside  from  God.  Persevering  thus  in 
the  faith  of  Christ,  and  in  obedience  to  him,  he 
will  enable  us  to  find  rest  unto  our  souls :  He 
will  teach  us  the  insufficiency  of  all  earthly 
things,  and  his  own  power  and  willingness  to 
bestow  it.  Thus  we  shall  enjoy  communion  with 
him,  and  experience  a  blessed  reality  in  religion, 
and  possess  that  peace  which  the  world  can 
neither  give  nor  take  away." 


392 


SERMON  XXVI. 

ox  THE  NATURE  OF  THE  CHRISTIAN  MINISTRY. 


COL.  i.  -28. 

Whom  we  preach,  warning  every  man,  and  teaching 
every  man  in  ail  wisdom :  that  we  may  present  every 
man  perfect  in  Christ  Jesus. 

The  office  of  a  minister  of  Christ  is  highly  im- 
portant, and  the  relation  between  him  and  his  flock 
is  of  the  most  intimate  kind.    It  is  his  office  to 
watch  over  their  souls  as  one  that  must  give  ac- 
count, and  deliver  to  them  the  word  of  God  by 
which  they  are  to  become  partakers  of  eternal  life. 
It  is  his  duty  to  exhort,  to  reprove,  to  warn,  to 
teach,  with  all  patience  and  long-suffering.  Whe- 
ther, then,  we  consider  the  end  of  his  labours  or 
the  subject  of  his  discourses,  we  shall  see  them  to 
be  of  the  utmost  importance,  and  such  as  to  justify 
that  earnestness  and  authority,  in  the  manner  of 
his  preaching,  which,  were  not  the  nature  of  his 
office  considered,  might  appear  extravagant  and 
assuming. 

In  my  text  the  Apostle  refers  to  these  three 
points  : — 

I.  The  efid  of  a  minister's  preaching — To  pre- 
sent every  man  perfect  in  Christ  Jesus." 


ON  THE  CHRISTIAN  MINISTRY.  393 

I  J.  The  subject  of  his  preaching,  by  which  this 
end  is  to  be  accomplished — Whom  we  preach." 
And, 

III.  The  manner  of  his  preaching — Warning 
every  man  and  teaching  every  man  in  all  wisdom." 

On  each  of  these  points  I  shall  make  a  few 
observations,  praying  that  the  Holy  Spirit,  from 
whose  influence  only  our  preaching  can  derive 
any  real  efficacy,  would  be  pleased  to  render 
what  may  be  said  effectual  in  producing  the  great 
design  of  that  Gospel  which  is  intrusted  to  us. 

I.  The  end  of  a  minister  s  preaching  is  to  present 
every  man  perfect  in  Christ  Jesus. 

The  mission  of  Christ  upon  earth,  as  a  Saviour, 
supposes  man  to  be  a  fallen  and  ruined  creature : 
it  implies  that  he  is  in  a  corrupt  state,  a  servant 
of  sin ;  and  therefore  in  need  of  a  Redeemer  from 
its  guilt  and  power.    It  supposes  further,  that 
those  who  are  made  partakers  of  the  salvation  of 
Christ  are  regenerate  ;  have  become  new  crea- 
tures in  him,  and  lead  a  new  life.   But  as  this 
great  change  is  not  accomplished  in  an  instanta- 
neous manner,  but,  like  the  ordinary  operations 
of  the  Divine  power,  gradually  and  by  the  use  of 
means  ;  so  there  are  different  stages  of  advance- 
ment, according  to  which  a  Christian  may  be 
said  to  be  in  an  imperfect  or  a  more  perfect  state. 
Thus  the  Apostle,  explaining  Christian  perfection, 
in  his  Epistle  to  the  Ephesians,  compares  it  to 
the  state  of  a  man  who  has  attained  his  full  ma- 
turity of  strength.    God  has  given  to  the  several 
members  of  his  church  various  gifts ;  all  of  which 
contribute,  in  their  appointed  way,    for  the  per- 


394  OS  THE  CHRISTIAX  MIXISTRY. 

fecting  of  the  saints,  for  the  work  of  the  ministry, 
for  the  edifying  of  the  body  of  Christ ;  till  they 
all  come,  in  the  unity  of  the  Cadth  and  of  the 
knowledge  of  the  Son  of  God,  unto  a  perfect  man, 
unto  the  measure  of  the  stature  of  the  fulness  of 
Christ."  From  this  statement,  St.  Paul  derives 
the  exhortation  to  his  converts,  that  "thenceforth 
they  be  no  more  children;  but  that,  speaking  the 
truth  in  love,  they  should  grow  up  into  him  in  all 
things  which  is  the  Head,  even  Christ** 

We  see,  then,  that  the  term  perfectioKy  as  used 
by  the  Apostle,  does  not  mean  a  freedom  fit>m  aQ 
sin ;  but  only  a  higher  degree  of  knowledge,  faith, 
and  grace.  It  is  opposed  to  the  imperfect  and 
weak  state  of  man,  when  he  first  receives  the 
Gospel. 

Now,  though,  in  this  world,  a  Christian  cannot, 
in  the  literal  meaning  of  the  word,  become  per- 
fect ;  that  is,  complete  in  knowledge,  fiadth,  love, 
and  hoUness^  any  more  than  a  man's  bodily 
strength  or  his  natural  wisdom  can  become  infi- 
nite ;  yet  there  is  a  degree  of  maturity  and  ad- 
vancement which  all  real  Christians  CTjoy,  fuUy 
justifying  the  sense  in  ^^lich  the  Apostle  has  used 
the  word :  and  it  is  the  office  of  a  minister  of  the 
Gospel,  by  instructing,  warning,  and  exhorting 
his  people,  to  present  them  thus  perfect  in  Christ 
Jesus.  This  perfection,  then,  may  be  considered 
as  opposed  to  a  partial  and  umlcbk,  or  a  defectiroe^ 
obedience  to  Christ 

He  who  is  not  yet  arrived  at  a  degree  of  matu- 
rity and  establishment  in  Christ,  is  often  partial 
in  his  obedience.  He  selects  some  duties  which 
it  is  most  easy  for  him  to  perform,  while  he  omits 


ON  THE  CHRISTIAN  MINISTRY.  395 

Others  which  are  more  difficult  and  require  greater 
self-denial.    He  may  be  kind  and  compassionate 
to  his  fellow-creatures  ;  but  he  is  disposed  to  a 
compliance  with  the  sinful  habits  of  the  world, 
and  has  not  risen  above  the  fear  of  man.  He  may 
be  strict  and  just  in  his  dealings ;  but  he  is  sloth- 
ful and  careless  in  the  improvement  of  his  time. 
He  may  be  punctual  in  attending  the  ordinances 
of  grace,  but  not  sufficiently  watchful  over  his 
conduct  in  the  management  of  his  family.  He 
may  possess  in  some  respects  the  image  of  Christ, 
and  yet  not  the  whole  image.    As  the  character 
I  am  describing  is  not  that  of  a  hypocrite,  but  of 
a  weak  Christian,  I  do  not  suppose  that  he  wil- 
fully omits  any  known  duty,  or  that  he  does  not 
wish  and  endeavour  to  acquire  every  Christian 
grace  in  which  he  perceives  himself  to  be  defi- 
cient. Yet  there  are  certainly  many  graces  which 
he  possesses  only  in  a  very  limited  degree. 

In  like  manner,  there  is  an  instability  in  his 
Christian  course.  He  is  not  influenced  by  such  a 
stedfast  and  constant  principle^  as  to  make  him 
uniformly  watchful  and  zealous.  Sometimes  he 
appears  penetrated  with  a  deep  concern  for  his 
soul,  and  an  ardent  desire  to  glorify  the  name  of 
Christ ;  but  soon  you  find  him  cold,  inattentive, 
and  thoughtless.  Now  he  is  much  impressed 
under  the  word  of  God ;  but  afterwards  you  per- 
ceive that  his  actions  do  not  satisfy  the  hopes 
which  that  impression  had  excited. 

Add  to  this,  that  the  man  who  is  not  yet  perfect 
or  established  in  Christ,  is  more  or  less  defective 
in  every  act  of  obedience.  There  is  no  grace 
which  he  carries  to  its  proper  height ;  there  is  no 


396  ON  THE  CHRISTIAN  MINISTRY. 

principle  which  produces  a  full  and  complete 
effect  upon  his  mind.    He  loves  God,  but  not 
with  that  fervour  which  the  Bible  enjoins ;  he  is 
humble  in  a  measure,  but  is  not  properly  affected 
by  his  unworthiness.    He  is  not  destitute  of  love 
to  his  neighbour ;  but  that  love  is  so  weak  that 
it  produces  no  active  exertions  of  benevolence. 
He  worships  God  ;  but  his  gratitude  is  faint,  his 
thanksgivings  deficient  in  fervour  :  there  is  little 
real  contrition  in  his  coufessions  of  sin,  and  he 
prays  for  an  increase  of  grace  without  any  intense 
desire  for  a  higher  degree  of  holiness. 

But  the  Christian  who  is  advanced  to  the  stature 
of  a  perfect  man,  is  established  in  knowledge,  in 
faith,  in  love,  and  obedience.  His  attention  having 
long  been  engaged  in  considering  the  great  truths 
of  Scripture,  and  having  often  tried  by  that  un- 
erring standard  his  own  heart,  and  the  maxims 
and  habits  of  the  world,  he  is  not  moved  with 
every  wind  of  doctrine :  his  mind  is  not  harassed 
by  tormenting  doubts  and  suspicions  respecting 
the  truths  of  the  Gospel.    He  sees  the  evil  of 
error ;  he  understands  the  truth  in  its  relations, 
connections,  and  dependencies ;  his  knowledge  of 
the  Gospel  is  extensive,  clear,  and  copious.  He 
knows  that  he  has  not  followed  cunningly  devised 
fables,  and  is  ready  to  give  an  answer  to  every 
man  concerning  the  hope  that  is  in  him.  And  as 
he  is  established  in  the  knowledge  of  the  truth, 
so  also  is  he  in  faith  in  Christ.    His  dependence 
upon  him  is  constant,  sincere,  and  uniform.  He 
places  no  confidence  in  the  flesh  :  he  attributes 
nothing  to  his  own  power  :  he  has  no  trust  in  his 
own  righteousness.  Dependence  upon  the  Divine 


ON  THE  CHRISTIAN  MINISTRY.  397 

power,  grace,  and  faithfulness,  is  habitual  to  him ; 
and  is  the  principle  upon  which  he  is  daily  acting. 
— Observe  also,  his  affections  and  his  hope  are 
stedfast  and  lively  :  his  love  is  pure,  regular,  and 
increasing  ;  his  dread  of  sin  strong  and  habitual ; 
his  desires  uniformly  directed  to  the  advancement 
of  the  kingdom  of  Christ,  and  of  the  grace  of  God 
in  his  soul.  You  do  not  find  him  temporizing  and 
worldly  in  his  spirit :  his  heart  is  whole  with  God. 
His  patience  under  suffering  is  constant ;  his  re- 
signation to  the  will  of  God  complete :  he  is  ready 
to  lay  down  his  life  whenever  God  calls  for  it, 
without  murmuring  or  repining. — His  conduct  is 
also  such  as  becomes  these  affections.  It  is  ex- 
emplary and  pure :  you  remark  in  him  not  merely 
strict  integrity  and  a  sober  demeanour,  but  such  a 
purity,  watchfulness,  charity,  and  good-will,  that 
the  world  around  see  his  good  works,  and  glorify 
his  Father  which  is  in  heaven. — Such  is  the  design 
of  the  preaching  of  the  Gospel !  It  is  to  present 
men  truly  holy  in  the  great  day  of  the  appearing 
of  Jesus  Christ.  It  is  first  to  cleanse  them  from 
all  the  guilt  of  sin,  by  the  efficacy  of  his  blood, 
and  then  to  sanctify  them  by  the  influence  of  his 
Spirit  blessing  the  word,  that  they  may  become 
a  holy  and  peculiar  people,  zealous  of  good  works, 
and  meet  for  the  inheritance  of  the  saints  in  light. 
Thus  Christ  is  said  to  have  given  himself  for  the 
church,  that  he  might  sanctify  and  cleanse  it, 
with  the  washing  of  water  by  the  word,  that  he 
might  present  it  to  himself  a  glorious  church,  not 
having  spot  or  wrinkle  or  any  such  thing,  but  that 
it  should  be  holy  and  without  blemish." 

Although  this  great  end  is  never  fully  answered 


398  ON  THE  CHRISTIAN  MINISTRY. 

ill  this  life,  yet  there  is  a  gradual  approach  and 
tendency  towards  it.  He  who  was  once  corrupt, 
according  to  the  deceitful  lusts  of  the  flesh,  without 
God  and  without  Christ,  now  is  become  a  new 
creature  in  Jesus  Christ,  and  is  growing  in  grace 
and  in  the  knowledge  of  his  Lord  and  Saviour. 
He  is  making  a  constant  progress  in  real  religion  ; 
he  is  continually  using  the  means  of  grace,  and  is 
thus  daily  mortifying  the  body  of  sin,  and  attain- 
ing a  greater  conformity  to  the  image  of  Christ. 

II.  But,  secondly,  Jesus  Christ  is  the  subject  oi 
the  preaching  of  his  ministers  ;  and,  by  preaching 
Him,  the  great  end  which  has  been  considered  is 
to  be  accomplished. 

To  preach  Christ,  is  to  preach  the  Gospel  of 
Christ.  This  Gospel  was  intrusted  to  the  Apostles, 
and  after  them  to  successive  ministers,  as  the  word 
by  which  the  kingdom  of  Christ  was  to  be  esta- 
blished, and  man  to  be  restored  to  the  image  of 
God.  The  Gospel  of  Christ  comprehends  the 
whole  of  his  doctrine.  It  may  be  considered  as 
consisting  of  two  parts :  the  one  relating  to  the 
efficacy  of  his  death,  and  the  benefits  which  all 
true  Christians  derive  from  it ;  the  other  enforcing 
and  explaining  the  nature  of  that  holiness  which 
is  required  of  all  who  are  made  partakers  of  his 
great  salvation.  It  is  not  an  uncommon  error  to 
confine  the  preaching  of  Christ  wholly  to  the  first 
of  these  two  great  divisions  of  Christian  truth ; 
whereas,  the  second  is  here  expressly  stated  as  a 
branch  of  the  Apostle's  office  :  he  was  to  warn  and 
to  teach  every  man,  in  all  wisdom. — But  as  that 
subject  more  properly  belongs  to  the  last  of  the 


ON  THE  CHRISTIAN  MINISTRY.  399 

three  topics  I  propose  to  consider,  I  shall  here 
only  shew,  that  proclaiming  the  death  of  Christ  is 
eminently  calculated  to  produce  the  great  effect 
which  I  have  described.  This  will  appear,  if  we 
consider  the  obligatmis  which  it  inculcates,  and 
the  principles  which  it  supplies. 

1 .  The  obligations  which  it  inculcates  are  of  the 
highest  nature. — It  teaches  us  to  regard  ourselves 
as  redeemed  by  the  most  precious  blood  of  the 
Son  of  God,  from  a  state  of  endless  ruin  and 
misery.  A  state  more  awful  cannot  be  conceived. 
We  were  under  the  wrath  of  God,  destitute  of 
power  to  retrieve  ourselves,  the  slaves  of  sin,  and 
under  the  dominion  of  Satan  :  led  captive  by  him 
at  his  pleasure,  we  were  passing  rapidly  forward 
to  eternal  perdition,  and  were  utterly  unable  to 
arrest  or  suspend  our  progress.  In  this  state  our 
eyes  were  opened  to  our  misery  and  ruin,  and  we 
trembled  under  the  sense  of  our  danger.  But 
the  Gospel  tells  of  redemption  in  Christ :  it 
exhibits  him,  with  a  love  and  pity  which  can 
know  no  parallel,  coming  down  into  the  world  to 
make  atonement  for  sinners :  it  reveals  him  as 
able  and  willing  to  save  to  the  uttermost  them 
that  come  to  God  by  him  :  it  shews  the  sinner  the 
efficacy  of  his  Redeemer's  death ;  his  meritorious 
intercession  ;  his  care  over  his  church  ;  the  pro- 
mises he  gives  to  his  people ;  his  watchfulness  and 
protection  of  them  ;  his  boundless  love  and  won- 
derful grace.  And,  while  the  Gospel  reveals  these 
glorious  truths,  does  it  not  discover,  in  the  fullest 
manner,  our  obligation  to  live  to  Christ,  to  con- 
sider ourselves  as  no  longer  our  own,  but  bought 


400  ON  THE  CHRISTIAN  MINISTRY. 

with  a  price,  and  bound  therefore  to  glorify  God 
with  our  bodies  and  spirits,  which  are  his  ? 

2.  The  preaching  of  Christ,  having  thus  exhi- 
bited to  man  the  obligations  under  which  he  lies 
to  his  Redeemer,  proceeds  to  inculcate  and  con- 
firm the  most  powerful  principles  of  action  which 
can  affect  the  human  heart.  It  addresses  a  man's 
most  serious  fears,  his  warmest  hopes,  his  liveliest 
gratitude  and  love.  It  represents  in  so  awful  a 
light  the  misery  of  separation  from  Christ  —  the 
dreadful  state  of  those  who  are  excluded  from  the 
kingdom  of  heaven — the  danger  of  yielding  to  the 
world  and  the  devil,  and,  above  all,  to  that  corrupt 
flesh  which  is  the  enemy  of  God  and  of  godliness 
• — that  the  Christian's  chief  apprehension  is  lest 
he  should  be  rejected  by  his  Saviour.  There- 
fore he  watches,  he  prays,  he  reads  the  word  of 
God,  he  seeks  in  all  things  to  approve  himself  as 
the  servant  of  Christ.  But  his  hopes  are  awakened 
not  less  than  his  fears,  and  are  directed  to  the 
same  great  end.  The  hope  of  dwelling  with  Christ 
and  beholding  the  felicity  of  his  chosen  people  ; 
the  hope  of  entering  into  rest  from  all  the  troubles 
of  this  evil  world  ;  the  hope  of  being  endued  with 
grace  to  glorify  God,  and  to  honour  his  name  on 
earth,  inspire  him  with  earnestness  in  running  the 
race  set  before  him,  and  with  a  holy  resolution  to 
overcome  every  difficulty  and  opposition.  To 
these  principles  he  adds  the  still  stronger  motives 
of  gratitude  and  love.  He  feels  that  he  owes  to 
his  Redeemer  all  his  happiness,  present  as  well 
as  future.  He  sees  that  Christ  can  call  him  to  no 
self-denial  which  he  is  not  bound  by  the  most 


ON  THE  CHRISTIAN  MINISTRY.  401 

sacred  obligations  of  gratitude  to  endure,  and 
that  the  greatest  sacrifices  he  can  make  are  in- 
comparably inferior  to  that  which  his  Saviour  has 
made  for  him.  He  is  stimulated  to  more  earnest 
exertions  while  he  sees  in  this  evil  world  how  few 
honour  and  love  the  name  of  his  Divine  Master. 
He  feels  with  the  Apostle  that  all  things  are  but 
dross  and  dung  compared  with  the  excellency  of 
the  knowledge  of  Christ  Jesus  the  Lord.  Like 
him,  he  says,  God  forbid  that  I  should  glory, 
save  in  the  Cross  of  Jesus  Christ."  Thus  is  he 
prepared  to  devote  himself  wholly  to  the  service 
of  God.  He  feels  that  he  is  bound  no  longer  to 
live  to  himself,  but  to  pass  a  holy  and  useful  life, 
devoted  to  the  service  of  him  who  gave  himself 
for  him. 

Such  obligations,  and  such  principles,  the 
preaching  of  Christ  is  intended  to  inculcate  ;  and 
it  is  therefore  obvious  that  the  constant  instruc- 
tion of  the  minister,  and  constant  attention  of  the 
hearer,  will  be  necessary  to  give  a  right  direction 
and  guidance  to  principles  so  powerful. 

HL  Thirdly,  then.  In  what  manner  is  this  in- 
struction to  be  given  ?  The  text  sets  before  us  the 
practice  of  the  great  Apostle — warning  every 
man,  and  teaching  every  man  in  all  wisdom." 

Three  things  are  here  observable  :  That  Chris- 
tians are  to  be  warned ; — that  they  are  to  be  in- 
structed in  every  kind  of  spiritual  wisdom ;  —and 
that  this  warning  and  this  instruction  are  to  be 
addressed  to  all  — "  teaching  evtry  man,  and 
warning  tvery  man'' 

Christians  are  to  be  warned. — Whatever  some 

VOL.  II,  2  D 


402  ON  THE  CHRISTIAN  MINISTRY. 

may  conceive  of  the  privileges  of  Christians,  who, 
they  suppose,  are  to  hear  only  of  the  promises, 
mercy,  and  love  of  Christ,  a  real  Christian  will 
feel  that  he  needs  constant  admonition  and  cau- 
tion. He  will  feel  the  danger  of  relapsing  into  a 
careless  and  worldly  spirit.  The  preaching  which 
flatters,  is  not  the  preaching  which  is  suited  to 
him.  He  wants  a  close  and  faithful  address  to 
the  conscience.  He  feels  it  often  necessary  to 
examine  himself ;  and  the  warnings  which  Christ 
gave  to  the  churches  of  Asia  he  cannot  thing  un- 
necessary or  inapplicable  to  his  own  soul.  Cor- 
rupt habits  insensibly  creep  upon  us ;  a  careless 
frame  of  mind  is  easily  indulged  ;  and  were  it  not 
for  the  affectionate  admonitions  of  the  word  of 
God,  and  of  his  ministers,  we  should  soon  sink 
into  the  state  of  the  Laodicean  church,  **  having 
a  name  to  live,  while  we  were  dead." 

In  the  same  manner  we  need  insti^uction. — The 
truths  of  the  Gospel  are  indeed  few  and  simple  ; 
and  were  our  dispositions  habitually  devout  and 
serious,  we  might  soon  acquire  a  competent  know- 
ledge of  the  truth.  But  we  are  by  nature  slow  of 
heart  to  learn  the  things  of  God.  So  much  of  our 
time  and  attention  is  devoted  to  the  world,  and 
so  reluctant  are  we  to  meditate  on  spiritual  sub- 
jects, that  we  make  but  a  slow  proficiency  in  the 
school  of  Christ.  Neither  is  it  sufficient  that  we 
know  the  simple  truths  of  the  Gospel :  we  must 
consider  them  in  their  connection  and  relation  to 
each  other ;  we  must  correct  and  enlarge  our  views 
of  spiritual  truth.  On  examination,  we  shall  pro- 
bably discover  some  mixture  of  error  in  our  most 
settled  opinions.  New  cases  occur,  new  difficul- 


ON  THE  CHRISTIAN  MINISTRY.  403 

ties  and  dangers  arise,  requiring  fresh  wisdom  and 
experience  in  the  Gospel.  Add  to  this,  that  the 
knowledge  which  the  Gospel  inculcates  is  to  be 
practical  and  influential  on  our  conduct:  and, 
whatever  we  may  know  in  theory  of  the  truth, 
we  shall  find,  when  we  consider  the  influence  it 
possesses  over  us,  that  we  still  need  much  in- 
struction. The  branches  of  Christian  knowledge 
are  very  extensive.  Wisdom  is  required  towards 
them  that  are  without ;  wisdom  to  discharge  all 
the  duties  of  our  station ;  wisdom  to  escape  the 
snares  laid  for  us ;  wisdom  to  confirm  the  faith 
of  those  under  our  care  ;  wisdom  to  avoid  giving 
offence ;  wisdom  to  imitate  the  conduct  of  Christ, 
our  Lord,  in  all  things  fully  and  completely. 

The  Apostle  notices  also,  that  every  man  has 
need  of  this  warning  and  this  instruction. — The 
Apostles  themselves  were  not  exempt  from  this 
necessity.  Our  Lord  had  occasion  both  to  in- 
struct and  to  warn  them,  even  to  the  last  day  of 
his  residence  among  them.  Let  no  man  there- 
fore think  he  stands  in  no  need  of  instruction. 
"  If  any  man,"  says  the  Apostle,  "  think  he  know- 
eth  any  thing,  he  knoweth  nothing  yet  as  he  ought 
to  know."  There  are,  indeed,  many  whom  mini- 
sters address  from  the  pulpit,  at  whose  feet  they 
would  gladly  sit  and  receive  instruction.  But  it 
is  the  word  of  God  which  they  are  commissioned 
to  teach :  they  declare  only  what  the  oracles  of 
Divine  Truth  confirm ;  and  they  consider  them- 
selves, therefore,  as  only  the  instruments  to  make 
known  the  power  and  wisdom  of  God,  as  it  is 
revealed  in  the  Gospel. 

Thus,  then,  the  man  of  God  is  perfected  for 

2  D  2 


404  ON  THE  CHRISTIAN  MINISTRY. 

every  good  work.  By  the  preaching  of  the  Go- 
spel new  light  is  continually  afforded  him — new 
and  purer  views  are  communicated  to  him — holier 
principles  are  implanted  in  his  breast — the  wrong 
motives  by  which  he  had  been  influenced,  the 
depraved  habits  which  he  had  indulged,  are  cor- 
rected— till  at  length  he  is  presented  perfect  in 
Christ  Jesus. 

Two  reflections  seem  naturally  suggested  by 
the  subject  we  have  considered. 

First — If  the  office  of  the  ministry  is  so  im- 
portant, is  it  not  your  duty  to  pray  earnestly  to 
God,  that  your  ministers  be  endued  with  wisdom 
and  grace,  and  that  you  may  receive  their  admo- 
nitions with  candour  and  affection  ?  We  feel,  my 
brethren,  the  importance  and  difficulty  of  our 
station :  we  trust  to  your  prayers  for  us.  The 
pastoral  relation  ought  to  be  closer  than  it  is  in 
general.  There  should  be  a  mutual  spirit  of 
prayer  for  each  other  to  the  Supreme  Head  of 
the  Church.  It  is  a  great  design  in  which  we 
are  engaged^ — to  present  you  perfect  in  Christ 
Jesus  at  the  great  day  of  his  appearing. 

And,  secondly,  considering  the  magnitude  of 
the  work  to  which  both  ministers  and  people  are 
called,  let  us  never  engage  in  it  but  with  the 
solemnity  which  it  requires.  It  will  soon  be 
found  to  have  been  unspeakably  important. 
That  day  is  at  hand,  when  wealth,  and  power, 
and  beauty,  and  wit,  will  be  shewn  to  be  vain 
and  useless ;  and,  amidst  the  wreck  of  all  which 
the  world  esteems,  the  knowledge  and  love  of 
Christ,  and  obedience  to  his  commandments. 


ON  THE  CHRISTIAN  MINISTRY.  405 

will  appear  to  be  the  only  real  and  permanent 
good  of  man.  Let  this  great  object,  then,  be 
frequently  set  before  us.  Let  us  often  think  of 
the  design  of  Christ  in  coming  mto  the  world, 
of  the  strict  inquiry  which  will  be  made  at  the 
last  day  into  our  principles  and  conduct,  of  the 
means  which  Christ  has  appointed  and  is  daily 
employing  to  present  us  perfect  at  the  great 
day;  and  let  us  anxiously  examine  ourselves, 
whether  those  means  have  been  successful  — 
whether  we  have  attended  to  the  instructions  we 
have  received — w^hether,  in  short,  we  are  still 
worldly-minded,  careless,  and  corrupt,  living 
without  God  in  the  world,  and  without  any  true 
and  practical  knowledge  of  Jesus  Christ; — or 
whether,  being  ingrafted  into  him  by  a  living 
faith,  we  are  walking  according  to  his  will,  re- 
ceiving his  precepts  and  instructions,  treasuring 
them  up  in  our  hearts,  and  conforming  our  lives 
to  them ;  so  that  we  may  be  presented  perfect 
in  Christ  Jesus  at  the  great  day  of  his  appearing. 
Happy  are  they  who  will  then  be  found  so  living ! 
May  this  be  the  happy  state  of  all  my  hearers  ! 
Or,  to  express  in  the  Apostle's  words  my  desires 
for  them — "  May  the  God  of  peace,  that  brought 
again  from  the  dead  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  the 
good  Shepherd  of  his  sheep,  through  the  blood 
of  the  everlasting  Covenant  make  you  perfect  in 
every  good  work,  to  do  his  will,  working  in  you 
that  which  is  well-pleasing  in  his  sight,  through 
Jesus  Christ ;  to  whom  be  glory  for  ever  and 
ever.  Amen." 


406 


SERMON  XXVIL 

ON  SPIRITUAL  MINDEDNESS. 
COLOSS.  iii.  1 — 3. 

If  ye  then  he  risen  with  Christ,  seek  those  things 
which  are  above,  where  Christ  sitteth  on  the  right 
hand  of  God,  Set  your  affection  on  things  above, 
not  on  things  on  the  earth.  For  ye  are  dead,  and 
your  life  is  hid  with  Christ  in  God. 

The  spiritual  nature  of  the  Ohristian  Religion 
forms  a  very  strong  presumption  in  favour  of  its 
Divine  original.  The  principles  it  inculcates  are 
not  those  of  this  world :  the  consolation  and  peace 
it  affords  do  not  arise  from  v^orldly  sources ;  the 
hopes  it  sets  before  us,  and  the  rewards  it  pro- 
mises, refer  to  a  future  state.  The  desire  of  ap- 
plause, the  sense  of  honour,  ambition,  and  the 
hope  of  temporal  advancement — motives  which 
are  naturally  very  powerful,  and  which  form  the 
chief  springs  of  action  in  other  systems  of  religion 
— it  rejects  as  unworthy  of  the  Christian  purity. 
Our  Lord  thus  described  the  character  of  his  re- 
ligion ;  My  kingdom  is  not  of  this  world."  Its 
maxims  and  views  are  not  such  as  naturally  occur 
to  the  world  :  nor  are  they  suited  to  those  whose 
attention  is  engrossed  by  worldly  affairs. 

We  therefore  frequently  find,  in  the  writings 


ON  SPIRITUAL  MINDEDNESS.  407 

of  the  Apostles,  cautions  respecting  our  use  of 
this  world  :  they  continually  impress  on  their 
disciples  a  fear  and  jealousy  of  its  influence. 
Their  converts  were  often  reminded  that  the 
eager  pursuit  of  earthly  things,  and  the  spirit 
and  temper  of  the  world,  were  inconsistent  with 
that  frame  of  mind  which  is  essential  to  the 
Christian  character.    They  were  commanded 

not  to  love  the  world,  nor  the  things  of  the 
world."  They  were  taught  to  rank  the  world 
among  the  principal  enemies  of  Christ,  with  the 
flesh  and  the  devil.  St.  Paul,  when  speaking  of 
those  hypocrites  whose  unholy  conduct  he  could 
not  mention  without  tears,  who  were  the  *'  ene- 
mies of  the  Cross  of  Christ,"  whose  "  God  was 
their  belly,"  whose  glory  was  in  their  shame," 
thus  concludes  the  description ;  they  mind 
earthly  things  :  for,"  adds  the  Apostle,  our 
conversation  is  in  heaven."  This  abstractedness 
from  the  world  and  from  worldly  maxims,  which 
the  Gospel  has  required,  has  necessarily  given 
great  oflence  to  those  whose  cares  and  pursuits 
are  wholly  of  a  temporal  kind.  They  have  ac- 
cordingly represented  heavenly  mindedness  as 
incompatible  with  the  present  state  of  man,  as 
inconsistent  with  that  degree  of  attention  to 
earthly  aff'airs  which  is  indispensable  for  con- 
ducting the  business  of  life;  as  incapacitating 
those  who  are  under  its  influence  for  an  active 
and  energetic  discharge  of  the  duties  of  their 
station ;  and  as  encouraging  an  inactive  and  spe- 
culative devotion,  neither  honourable  to  God  nor 
agreeable  to  right  reason. 

To  ascertain  what  foundation  there  is  for  this 


408 


ox  SPIRITUAL  MIXDEDNESS. 


charge,  let  us  first  inquire  what  are  the  dispo- 
sitions forbidden  by  the  Christian  religion,  and 
what  is  the  temper  required  of  a  Christian :  Set 
your  affection/'  says  the  Apostle,  "  on  things 
above,  not  on  things  on  the  earth and,  secondly, 
let  us  consider  whether  this  temper  is  consistent 
with  a  due  attention  to  the  business  of  the  world. 

I.  Set  not  your  affection  on  things  on  the 
earth. 

We  cannot  suppose  that  the  Apostle  intended, 
by  this  precept,  to  prohibit  every  degree  of  at- 
tention to  secular  affairs.  It  was  the  universal 
law  of  the  Creator,  that  "  by  the  sweat  of  his 
brow  man  shall  eat  bread  and  God  has  ex- 
pressly allowed  to  us  six  out  of  every  seven  days 
for  this  purpose,  thus  permitting  these  pursuits 
by  his  w^ord,  and  rendering  them  necessary  by 
his  providence  in  the  very  constitution  of  the 
world.  And  the  Gospel,  so  far  from  introducing 
a  new  law  to  dispense  with  these  occupations, 
has  declared  the  neglect  of  them  criminal.  Idle- 
ness is  a  sin  ever  followed  by  its  natural  punish- 
ment:  and  this  punishment  the  Gospel  confirms: 

If  any  man  will  not  work,  neither  let  him  eat." 
Jesus  Christ  himself  laboured  with  his  own  hands. 
The  Apostles,  though  set  apart  to  be  preachers 
of  the  Gospel,  set  an  example  of  secular  industry 
to  the  flock  whom  they  instructed.  Further,  the 
precepts  cannot  be  meant  to  prohibit  a  degree  of 
earnestness  and  attention  while  we  are  engaged 
in  our  necessary  business.  To  insure  success  in 
our  lawful  callings,  a  considerable  measure  of  care 
and  fbrethought  is  absolutely  necessary.  Con- 


ON  SPIRITUAL  MINDEDNESS.  409 

sequences  must  be  anticipated,  circumstances 
weighed,  plans  deliberately  framed,  incon- 
veniences guarded  against,  and  opportunities 
watched:  to  neglect  such  precautions  is  to  dis- 
card the  use  of  that  prudence  and  wisdom  which 
God  has  given  us.  Strenuous  exertions  are  also 
frequently  essential  in  worldly  affairs,  and  espe- 
cially in  extraordinary  or  difficult  conjunctures  ; 
and  without  a  certain  degree  of  activity,  and 
energy,  even  the  ordinary  business  of  life  cannot 
be  conducted  with  effect.  The  voice  of  nature 
and  the  language  of  Scripture  do  not  contradict 
each  other.  The  course  of  nature  has  rendered 
labour  indispensable,  and  the  commands  of 
Scripture  require  us  not  to  be  slothful  in  business. 
I  will  go  further,  and  say,  that  not  only  is  an  in- 
dolent inattention  to  our  proper  avocations  not 
warranted  in  Scripture,  but  is  productive  of  the 
worst  consequences  to  the  soul :  it  is  the  very 
nurse  of  sin,  and  the  inlet  to  temptation.  I  will 
add  yet  more  :  an  assiduous  and  uniform  care  to 
discharge  with  fidelity  and  diligence  the  various 
duties  of  our  station  is  even  a  necessary  qualifi- 
cation for  that  heavenly  mindedness  which  the 
text  requires. 

Neither  are  we  to  conceive  that  our  deadness 
to  the  world,  and  to  the  things  of  it,  implies  an 
indifference  to  all  the  pleasures  of  life — to  such 
gratifications  as  arise  from  the  enjoyment  of  the 
works  of  creation,  from  the  intercourse  of  friend- 
ship, from  the  indulgence  of  the  social  feelings 
in  our  domestic  relations.  In  these  and  similar 
cases,  heavenly  mindedness  will  promote  that 
very  disposition.    This  is  most  favourable  to  the 


410  ON  SPIRITUAL  MINDEDNESS. 

production  of  legitimate  pleasure  ;  and  in  this, 
as  in  the  former  instance,  the  language  of  nature 
and  of  Scripture  are  in  perfect  harmony.  What 
then  does  the  precept  of  the  text  forbid  ?  It  for- 
bids us  to  set  our  affections  upon  the  things  on  the 
earth.  We  are  not  to  make  these  our  chief  pur- 
suit ;  to  seek  them  with  our  utmost  eagerness ; 
to  be  inordinately  elated  when  we  are  successful 
in  obtaining  them,  and  exceedingly  depressed 
when  we  lose  them.  Our  happiness  must  not 
consist  in  these  things.  Though  earthly  blessings 
may  be  lawfully  enjoyed,  they  must  still  hold 
a  subordinate  station  in  our  esteem.  The  chief 
place  must  be  allowed  to  things  infinitely  more 
important. 

It  is  the  deg?'ee  of  attachment,  then,  to  earthly 
things  which  is  culpable :  it  is  the  preference 
given  to  them  above  those  which  are  eternal. 
The  crime  does  not  consist  in  loving  them,  but 
in  loving  them  better  than  spiritual  blessings. 
Nor  is  it  the  particular  nature  of  the  objects  of 
our  affection  which  in  every  case  renders  our 
attachment  culpable.  They  may  be  innocent  in 
themselves,  they  may  be  lawful,  and  it  may  even 
be  blameable  not  to  feel  some  regard  for  them ; 
but  the  prohibition  is  directed  against  undue  love 
for  them,  against  the  preference  of  them  to  better 
things,  against  the  devotion  of  the  best  affections 
of  the  heart  to  them,  against  that  worldly-mind- 
edness  which  robs  God  of  the  glory  due  to  him, 
disqualifies  the  mind  for  enjoyments  of  a  purer 
kind,  and  casts  a  degree  of  contempt  on  Christ, 
and  upon  all  the  glorious  blessings  which  he  has 
purchased. 


ON  SPIRITUAL  MINDEDNESS.  411 

We  cannot  serve  God  and  mammon.  The 
truth  of  this  maxim  is  established  by  every  day's 
experience.  The  mind  which  esteems  the  pos- 
session of  earthly  bliss  as  its  chief  good — which 
is  absorbed  in  secular  cares,  which  finds  all  its 
pleasures  in  worldly  prosperity,  and  all  its  sor- 
sows  in  the  loss  or  the  absence  of  temporal  en- 
joyments— is  incapacitated  not  only  by  want  of 
time  and  leisure,  but  by  its  very  nature  for  those 
pursuits  which  the  Gospel  requires.  What  im- 
pression can  spiritual  ideas  make  upon  a  mind 
sunk  in  carnal  things  ?  What  relish  for  a  hap- 
piness pure  and  holy,  such  a  happiness  as  pro- 
ceeds from  the  knowledge  of  God  and  the  exercise 
of  holy  affections  towards  Him,  can  be  felt  by 
a  heart  absorbed  in  the  cares  and  gratifications 
of  earth  ?  There  must  be  a  suitableness  and  cor- 
respondence between  the  mind  and  the  objects 
which  give  it  pleasure ;  and  what  concord  can 
exist  between  Christ  and  Belial  ?  What  agree- 
ment between  spiritual  enjoyments  and  a  worldly 
frame  ?  No :  to  value  the  blessings  which  the 
Gospel  offers ;  the  blessings  of  communion  and 
fellowship  with  the  Father  and  the  Son ;  to  look 
forward  with  lively  joy  towards  the  happiness  of 
heaven,  and  be  engaged  in  the  holy  employments 
which  the  Gospel  enjoins  ;  in  the  mortification  of 
sin,  in  seeking  the  increase  of  grace  in  the  heart ; 
this  requires  a  disposition  peculiar  to  itself — 
views  and  maxims,  hopes  and  desires,  pleasures 
and  pains  of  a  nature  very  different  from  those  of 
the  world — affections  set  upon  things  above,  and 
not  things  on  the  earth. 

True  religion,  as  described  in  the  Gospel,  sup- 


412 


OS  SPIRITUAL  MINDEDNESS. 


poses  the  frame  of  mind  which  I  have  described 
to  have  been  produced  by  a  sound  judgment  and 
enlightened  understanding,  perceiTing  the  supe- 
rior value  of  eternal  things,  and  therefore  delibe- 
rately choosing  them.  The  holy  disposition  of  a 
Ghrisdan  is  not  the  o£&pring  of  superstition,  or 
ef  a  raefaoidioly  constitution,  or  of  a  servile  fear 
of  the  pimishiDent  of  God,  or  of  a  weak  attach- 
ment to  the  doctrines  and  maxims  of  a  party : 
no— it  is  the  product  of  mature  deliberation ;  it 
is  the  result  of  the  purest  reason ;  it  is  founded 
upon  the  deep  conviction  that  eternity  is  superior 
to  time,  the  soul  to  the  body,  the  next  world  to 
the  {uresent,  holiness  to  sin,  and  the  £ivour  of 
God  to  that  of  man. 

This  is  then  the  ground  and  foundation  of  a 
CSiristian's  deadness  to  the  world :  he  is  deeply 
impressed  with  a  sense  of  the  supreme  import- 
ance of  etenal  objects,  and  acts  upon  that  con- 
viction :  the  course  of  his  life  is  ordered  in  such 
a  manner  as  shall  not  prevent  his  attention  to  the 
great  concern  of  the  soul.  The  employment  of 
his  leisure  hours,  the  chc»ce  of  his  company, 
his  very  diversions,  are  so  regulated,  that  in  the 
pursuit  of  the  <Mie  thing  needfril  he  is  at  least 
ner^  impeded  by  than.  His  desires  are  chiefiy 
bent  OQ  the  favour  of  God,  and  the  enjoyment  of 
his  grace  ;  so  that  nothm^r  affords  him  satisfac- 
Uan  while  he  perceives  his  soul  to  be  destitute  of 
spiritual  light  and  life.  His  principal  hopes  and 
wishes,  for  himsdf,  for  his  children,  and  for  his 
fickiids,  are  directed  towards  greater  measures 
q{  obedience,  of  resignation,  of  purity  of  heart, 
and  love  to  God  and  to  Christ.    He  derives  a 


ON  SPIRITUAL  MINDEDNESS.  413 

livelier  pleasure  from  the  perception  of  his  moral 
improvement  than  from  the  increase  of  his  tem- 
poral prosperity.  Thus  the  Psalmist  expresses 
his  feelings :  Thou  hast  put  joy  and  gladness 
into  my  heart,  more  than"  the  worldly  minded 
feel  "  when  their  corn  and  wine  and  oil  increase." 

II.  The  question,  therefore,  recurs.  Will  not 
such  a  supreme  attachment  to  eternal  things  be 
inconsistent  with  a  necessary  attention  to  the 
affairs  of  life  ? 

That  such  a  principle  will  have  some  effect 
in  lessening  our  relish  for  the  enjoyments  of  the 
world  ;  that  it  will  diminish  our  extreme  anxiety 
respecting  the  success  of  our  projects  ;  that  it 
will  cool  the  ardour  with  which  we  plan  scheme 
after  scheme,  and  pursue  folly  after  folly  ;  that 
it  will  make  us  less  extravagant  in  our  joy  when 
we  are  prosperous,  and  less  depressed  under 
adversity ;  that  it  will  moderate  our  eagerness 
in  business,  and  render  us  less  anxious  to  grasp 
at  every  offered  or  imagined  advantage,  I  readily 
allow.  And  allowing  this,  what  is  the  amount 
of  the  evil,  considered  even  in  a  temporal  view  ? 
An  inordinate  haste  to  be  rich,  or,  in  other  words, 
an  intemperate  love  of  earthly  things,  is  a  far 
more  frequent  source  of  failure  than  of  success. 
But  if  we  consider  the  question  in  a  moral  light, 
it  will  appear  that  an  excessive  attachment  to 
the  world  is  the  very  bane  of  virtue.  It  is  this 
disposition  which  in  a  thousand  instances  has 
produced  and  cherished  a  ruinous  spirit  of  luxury 
and  dissipation.  It  is  this  which  either  instigates 
dishonesty  and  fraud,  or  palliates  or  conceals 


414  ON  SPIRITUAL  MINDEDNESS. 

their  guilt.  It  is  this  which,  taking  another 
turn,  stifles  every  generous  emotion  of  the  mind, 
and  locks  up  every  noble  feeling  in  covetousness. 
It  is  this  vv^hich  leaves  no  time  or  inclination  for 
prayer,  or  self-examination,  or  serious  reflection; 
w^hich  incapacitates  the  mind  for  love  to  God, 
reverence  for  his  authority,  submission  to  his 
will,  and  every  serious  desire  for  conformity  to 
his  image  ;  and  it  is  this  which  renders  the  cup 
of  misery  doubly  bitter,  and  unfits  us  for  bearing 
with  temper  and  cheerfulness  the  various  trials 
and  misfortunes  to  which  we  are  subject. 

Where,  then,  is  the  evil  of  correcting  such  a 
disposition  ?  Could  I  call  before  you  but  a  few 
of  that  vast  multitude  who,  having  sacrificed 
their  health,  their  reputation,  their  peace,  and 
their  comfort  to  the  world,  at  length  devoted  to 
the  same  idol  their  lives,  and  even  their  immortal 
souls,  they  should  be  my  witnesses;  they  should, 
in  the  most  affecting  terms,  dictated  by  the  re- 
membrance of  bitter  suflerings,  repeat  the  ex- 
hortation, Set  not  your  affection  on  things  on 
the  earth." 

I  am  not  afraid  also  to  allow,  that  heavenly 
mindedness  would  have  a  considerable  effect  in 
unfitting  a  person  for  entering  with  spirit  into 
many  of  the  diversions  and  gaieties  of  the  age. 
Nor  can  I  think  that  this  would  prove  an  irrepa- 
rable injury  to  the  happiness  of  mankind,  when 
I  observe  that  those  enjoyments  which  arise  from 
the  tender  relations  of  domestic  life — enjoyments 
which  God  has  given  to  man  as  his  proper  plea- 
sures— might  increase  in  proportion  as  the  love 
of  dissipation  declined  ;   that  intellectual  and 


ON  SPIRITUAL  MINDEDNESS.  416 

moral  improvements,  and,  above  all,  the  pleasures 
of  a  purer  kind,  similar  to  those  of  the  blessed 
spirits  above,  might  be  substituted  for  these  fri- 
volous gratifications. 

I  will  further  allow,  that  the  degree  of  heavenly 
mindedness  which  the  Scripture  inculcates  would 
have  some  tendency  to  disqualify  us  for  an  indis- 
criminate enjoyment  of  the  society  of  the  world ; 
for  the  strain  of  conversation  which  prevails  in 
some  companies ;  for  the  scenes  which  give  them 
delight ;  for  the  spirit  of  flattery  and  insincerity 
which  prevails  in  them ;  for  the  schemes  which 
they  form,  and  the  mirth  in  which  they  indulge. 
For  these  things  a  Christian  would  be  but  ill  pre- 
pared by  his  previous  prayers,  by  his  deep  sense 
of  the  vanity  of  the  world,  and  of  the  importance 
of  time.    He  might  be  grave ;  and,  though  his 
heart  overflowed  with  benevolence,  he  might  in 
such  society  be  esteemed  morose ;  and  both  he 
and  they  would  perceive  that  there  was  no  mutual 
sympathy  of  tastes  or  habits.    But  what  would 
he  lose  by  this  ?  He  would  enjoy  an  intimate  so- 
ciety with  the  virtuous  and  excellent  of  the  earth 
— a  society  which,  founded  upon  the  basis  of  truth 
and  righteousness,  would  continually  be  more  and 
more  firmly  established  and  cemented.  He  would 
be  joined  in  one  spirit  to  the  holy  church  through- 
out the  world,  to  the  Prophets  and  Apostles,  and 
to  Jesus  Christ  his  Lord. 

I  have  thus  allowed  that  a  spirit  of  heavenly 
mindedness  would,  in  a  certain  degree,  disqualify 
a  man  for  the  world.  It  might  undoubtedly  hinder 
him  from  raising  himself  to  so  great  a  degree  of 
wealth,  honour,  or  reputation  as  he  otherwise 


416  ON  SPIRITUAL  MIXDEDNESS. 

might  attain ;  but  I  must  at  the  same  time  insist, 
that  it  would  by  no  means  prevent  a  due  afid  proper 
attention  to  the  necessary  business  of  life. 

Heavenly  mindedness  consists  in  a  strong  at- 
tachment to  God,  and  to  spiritual  objects.  But 
it  is  not  every  strong  passion  or  desire  which 
unfits  men  for  the  business  of  life.    Consider,  for 
instance,  the  love  which  God  hath  implanted  in 
the  breast  of  a  parent  for  his  children  ;  —  a  love 
which  all  parents  will  feel  to  be  supreme ;  a  love 
for  which  great  sacrifices  will  be  made,  great 
anxieties  often  endured,  and  by  which  the  schemes 
and  plans  of  life  will  be  greatly  regulated.  This 
is  a  natural  and  most  powerful  passion,  which  yet 
is  not  inconsistent  with  a  due  attention  to  the 
affairs  of  life,  but  rather  promotes  activity  and 
diligence,  while  it  inspires  prudence.  Heavenly 
mindedness  will  possess  a  similar  influence.  Re- 
verence for  the  will  of  God  will  produce  effects 
at  least  as  considerable  as  parental  love.    It  will 
make  us  regard  the  diligent  and  skilful  discharge 
of  our  worldly  business  as  a  solemn  duty.  God 
has  placed  us  in  our  stations :  he  has  required 
from  us  fidelity  in  them  :  nor  can  1  form  an  idea 
of  any  real  heavenly  mindedness  which  does  not 
produce  ready  and  cheerful  obedience.  Here, 
then,  is  the  difference :  it  is  in  the  motive,  rather 
than  the  outward  conduct,  by  which  the  Christian 
is  distinsruished  from  other  men.    The  latter  is 
diligent  and  active  from  a  temporal  and  sordid 
self-interest :  he  whose  aftections  are  principally 
set  on  another  world,  acts  with  no  less  resolution, 
and  with  equal  energy,  but  from  juster  views. 
His  principle  is  permanent  and  consistent : .  it 


ON  SPIRITUAL  MINDEDNESS.  417 

accompanies  him  through  all  the  stages  of  life, 
and  in  all  its  various  employments :  it  gives  to 
his  conduct,  in  the  secular  affairs  of  his  station,  a 
character  of  stedfastness  and  firmness  which  can 
be  derived  from  no  lower  motive. 

Indeed,  we  want  not  numerous  examples  to 
prove  that  every  just  and  honourable  station 
in  life  may  be  filled  with  propriety  and  dignity 
by  men  of  a  heavenly  mind.  I  need  not  refer  to 
ancient  times ;  to  Daniel,  the  man  greatly  beloved 
by  God,  and  the  prophet  of  the  Most  High,  who 
was  at  the  same  time  the  minister  of  a  vast  empire 
for  four  successive  reigns.  We  have  more  recent 
and  familiar  proofs,  that  the  greatest  eminence  in 
commerce,  in  medicine,  in  law,  and  even  in  the 
profession  of  arms,  may  consist  with  the  deepest 
and  most  habitual  devotion  :  witness  the  names  of 
Barnard,  of  Boerhaave,  of  Hale,  and  of  Gardiner. 

The  influence  which  heavenly  mindedness  will 
also  produce  upon  the  social  relations  is  worthy 
of  remark.  It  does  not  unfit  the  Christian  for 
them :  it  does  not  render  him  austere  and  rigid, 
or  harden  him  against  the  tenderness  of  friendship 
and  domestic  affection.  No :  though  he  is  afraid 
to  idolize  any  creature :  though  he  watches  over 
his  parental  and  conjugal  feelings,  lest  they  should 
draw  aside  his  heart  from  submission  to  the  will 
of  God,  or  supreme  regard  to  his  authority  ;  yet 
he  does  indulge  them  with  gratitude  and  with 
fervour.  He  receives  every  comfort  as  from  God  s 
hand,  and  enjoys  it  as  the  fruit  of  his  bounty. 
Still  it  is  his  unceasing  care,  that,  by  all  the 
blessings  which  surround  him,  he  may  be  led  to 

VOL,  II.  2  E 


418 


ox  SPIRITL'AL  MiyDEDXESS. 


shew  forth  the  praise  of  his  Supreme  Benefactor, 
not  with  his  lips  only,  but  in  his  life. 

"  Set,"  therefore,  "  your  affection  on  things 
above."' 

To  enforce  this  exhortation,  the  Apostle  refers 
to  that  argument  which  is  among  the  most  effica- 
cious with  Christians:  If  ye  then  be  risen  xvith 
Christ,  seek  those  things  which  are  above,  where 
Christ  sitteth  at  the  right  hand  of  God  :  for  ye 
are  dead,  and  your  life  is  hid  u-ith  Christ  in  GodT 
That  is,  If  you  are  risen  indeed  with  Christ;  if 
you  are  so  united  to  him,  and  as  it  were  incorpo- 
rated with  him,  that  he  is  become  your  life,  the 
principle  and  source  of  your  spiritual  existence  ; 
if  your  interests  are  so  identified  with  his,  that 
because  he  lives  you  shall  live  also,  because  he 
was  raised  from  the  dead  you  shall  be  raised  also ; 
then  it  becomes  your  duty  to  carry  still  further 
the  relation  and  union  which  you  bear  to  him. 
You  must  be  with  him  in  spirit.  He  is  risen  to  a 
world  of  glory,  and  you  must  dwell  with  him  in 
spirit  in  that  world  of  glory  also.  Your  life  is  to 
be  bound  up  in  his — you  must  live  only  in  him  : 
therefore,  since  he  has  left  this  evil  world,  and 
has  left  it  desolate  by  his  absence,  you  must  be 
widowed  to  it :  you  must  consider  yourself  as 
dead  here  :  there  is  nothing  in  this  barren  scene 
which  should  afford  you  solid  pleasure,  now  that 
your  Lord  is  departed.  Your  life  is  now  hid,  or 
laid  up,  with  Christ :  there  all  your  hopes  are 
fixed,  there  all  your  happiness  is  reposed.  Set 
your  affection,  therefore,  on  things  above— on 


ON  SPIRITUAL  MINDEDNESS.  419 

that  blessed  place  where  is  to  be  found  the  be- 
loved Object  of  your  hopes  and  affections,  who 
hath  redeemed  your  souls  and  delivered  you  from 
eternal  death.  Let  your  affections  often  soar 
upwards,  and  contemplate  the  glory  of  that  king- 
dom in  which  he  reigns,  the  happiness  of  those 
who  dwell  with  him,  the  excellence  and  purity 
of  those  who  with  him  are  made  perfect.  Anti- 
cipate in  joyful  prospect  the  day  when  you  shall 
yourselves  be  raised  to  the  same  place  whither 
your  Saviour  has  gone  before ;  where  you  shall 
see  Him  whom  having  not  seen  you  love,  and 
in  whom,  though  now  ye  see  him  not,  yet  be- 
lieving, ye  rejoice  with  joy  unspeakable  and  full 
of  glory."  Anticipate  by  faith  the  time  when  you 
shall  enjoy  the  full  completion  of  his  great  sal- 
vation ;  when  every  taint  and  blot  of  sin  will  be 
perfectly  removed;  when  every  excellence  will 
be  implanted  in  the  soul ;  when  every  evil  will  be 
annihilated ;  when  every  obstacle  between  you 
and  the  full  enjoyment  of  the  Divine  Presence 
will  be  taken  away ;  when  you  shall  fall  down 
before  him,  with  all  the  redeemed  of  God,  and 
cast  your  crowns  at  his  feet,  and  say,  with  un- 
utterable fervour  and  joy,  Worthy  is  the  Lamb 
that  was  slain  to  receive  power,  and  riches,  and 
wisdom,  and  strength,  and  honour,  and  glory,  and 
blessing." 

See,  my  brethren,  how  ardently  the  Apostles 
fixed  their  thoughts  upon  Jesus  Christ,  how  they 
identified  themselves  with  him,  how  from  hinx 
they  derived  all  their  hopes  and  all  their  joys. 
Christ  was  the  object  of  all  their  desires :  to  him 

2  E  2 


420  ON  SPIRITUAL  MINDEDNESJS. 

they  looked  as  their  Redeemer,  their  Saviour,  their 
Intercessor,  their  High  Priest  and  Advocate,  their 
model  and  example,  the  Author  and  Giver  of  all 
their  good  things.  Let  their  example  lead  us 
to  inquire  whether  we  are  actuated  by  a  similar 
regard  for  Jesus  Christ;  whether  our  thoughts, 
like  theirs,  are  continually  fixed  on  our  Lord  and 
Saviour;  whether  we  long  to  be  with  him,  es- 
teeming ourselves  dead  to  this  world  in  order 
that  our  life  may  be  more  conformed  to  the 
happiness  which  he  enjoys,  and  which  he  com- 
municates to  his  faithful  disciples  now  with  him 
in  glory. 

And  let  us  also  frequently  ponder  on  the  ex- 
cellency of  those  things  which  are  above  as  com- 
pared with  the  things  which  are  on  earth.  There, 
where  our  blessed  Saviour  dwells,  every  thing  is 
pure  and  perfect;  there,  no  stain  of  sin  or  de- 
filement is  found :  here  every  thing  is  corrupt ; 
marred,  and  defaced,  and  spoiled,  and  polluted 
by  sin.  Every  thing  above  is  durable  and  eter- 
nal :  every  thing  below  is  transitory  and  fading. 
Every  thing  above  carries  with  it  the  full  bless- 
ing of  Almighty  God  :  every  thing  below  withers 
beneath  the  influence  of  his  just  and  holy  indig- 
nation. Every  thing  above  satisfies  the  soul : 
for  the  desires  are  formed  to  the  place,  and  the 
place  to  the  desires;  and  both  are  adapted  to 
the  enjoyment  of  the  highest  and  purest  hap- 
piness :  every  thing  below  is  in  its  own  nature 
uncertain,  disappoints  our  expectations,  and  de- 
ludes our  hopes.  Every  thing  above  breathes  the 
air  of  eternal  bliss;  for  every  possible  cause  of 


ON  SPIRITUAL  MINDEDNESS,  421 

unhappiness  is  studiously  excluded  by  Almighty 
Power  and  Wisdom :  every  thing  below  tends  to 
unhappiness ;  for  our  joys  are  imperfect,  our  com- 
forts are  uncertain,  we  ourselves  are  decaying, 
and  all  around  us  proclaims,  Seek  not  your  hap- 
piness in  this  uncertain  state. 

Influenced  by  such  considerations,  let  us  en- 
deavour, my  brethren,  to  elevate  and  exalt  our 
souls  to  nobler  pursuits  and  loftier  prospects  than 
these  transitory  scenes  afford.  We  are  immortal 
creatures,  born  for  eternity,  redeemed  by  Christ 
from  sin  that  we  may  dwell  in  an  eternal  and 
endless  world ;  and  therefore  we  should  cherish 
the  sentiments  natural  to  the  citizens  of  that 
glorious  and  eternal  state.    Oh !  if  we  value 
Christ  as  our  Saviour,  and  prize  that  blessed 
immortality  which  he  offers,  let  us  prove  our 
regard  for  it  by  often  meditating  upon  its  joys,  by 
comparing  its  nature  and  happiness  with  those 
things  which  are  continually  passing  before  us, 
by  exalting  our  views  and  animating  our  Chris- 
tian hopes.    O  let  us  not  feel,  and  think,  and 
live,  and  act  as  if  the  Saviour  of  the  world  had 
never  come  down  from  heaven  to  save  us ;  as  if 
we  never  had  heard  the  glad  tidings  of  great  joy, 
of  Christ,  or  of  heaven  ;  as  if  this  world  were  the 
only  world ;  as  if  this  short,  and  poor,  and  tran- 
sitory life  were  the  sum  of  our  existence  !   O  let 
us  not  so  degrade  ourselves,  and  so  debase  the 
Lord  who  has  bought  us,  and  so  trample  on  the 
glorious  hopes  he  has  set  before  us !  Lift  up  your 
hearts,  then.    Let  the  recollection  of  the  ascen- 
sion of  your  Saviour  cause  your  hearts  to  ascend 
also.    Rise  to  the  blissful  place  where  he  now 


422  ON  SPIRITUAL  MtNDEDNESS. 

lives.  Contemplate  him  standing  at  the  right 
hand  of  God,  interceding  for  his  people,  and  pre- 
paring for  them  mansions  of  glory  ;  and  let  your 
spirit  join  with  the  spirits  of  all  the  redeemed  in 
hailing  the  day  of  his  triumph,  when  he  shall 
come  to  summon  his  people  to  his  kingdom ;  and 
let  your  hearts  say,  with  them,  Even  so,  Lord 
Jesus,  come  quickly.  Ameyi. 


423 


SERMON  XXVIII. 

ON  INTERCESSION  FOR  OTHERS. 
1  TIMOTHY  ii.  1. 

/  e.rhortt  therefore,  that,  first  of  all,  supplications, 
prayers,  intercessio?is,  and  giving  of  thanks,  be 
made  for  all  men. 

Among  the  many  proofs  of  Christianity,  some 
are  abstruse,  and  cannot  be  understood  without  a 
considerable  share  of  learning;  others  are  plainer, 
and  intelligible  to  the  most  illiterate.  My  text 
naturally  suggests  one  of  these.  It  is  very  obvious 
that  there  must  be  a  certain  degree  of  resemblance 
betw^een  every  v^ork  and  the  author  v^ho  has 
composed  it :  it  must  bear  some  image  of  his 
mind  and  character.  Now^  read  the  Gospel  of 
Christ;  consider  the  spirit  vs^hich  pervades  it, 
and  the  principles  it  inculcates ;  and  say  whose 
image  it  bears.  Is  it  like  the  work  of  the  great 
Father  of  mankind  ?  Does  it  bear  the  stamp 
of  that  gracious  Being  who  reigns  in  light  and 
happiness  ineffable  among  the  blessed  spirits  of 
heaven,  diffusing  there  universal  peace,  and  har- 
mony, and  joy  ?  The  work  of  such  a  Being  can- 
not be  of  a  doubtful  character :  it  must  exhibit 
a  certain  lustre  of  purity  and  glow  of  love,  and 
must  manifest  the  true  method  of  enjoying  the 


424  ON  INTERCESSION  FOR  OTHERS. 

highest  happiness.  Try  the  Gospel  by  this  test, 
and  say,  is  it  not  the  work  of  God  ? 

I  scruple  not  to  assert,  that  the  words  of  my 
text  alone  prove  it  to  be  so.  Behold  in  them  the 
feelings  of  a  man  who  had  imbibed  the  spirit  of 
the  Gospel.  It  found  him  injurious,  revengeful, 
breathing  out  threatening  and  slaughter  against 
his  fellow-creatures — now  he  utters  nothing  but 
the  purest  and  most  ardent  love  for  every  child  of 
Adam.  For  those  whom  he  had  not  seen  in  the 
flesh  he  pours  out  his  whole  soul  before  God  in 
earnest  supplication  for  their  happiness :  I 
would  that  ye  knew  what  great  conflict  I  had  for 
you,  and  for  them  at  Laodicea,  and  for  as  many 
as  have  not  seen  my  face  in  the  flesh,  that  their 
hearts  might  be  comforted."  The  Jews,  his  in- 
veterate persecutors,  he  loved  with  a  like  ardour: 
**  Brethren,  my  heart's  desire  and  prayer  for 

Israel  is,  that  they  might  be  saved  I  would 

even  wish  myself  accursed  from  Christ  for  their 
sake."  What,  but  the  Spirit  of  God,  could  have 
produced  such  a  spirit,  and  such  solicitude  for 
the  happiness  of  strangers  and  of  enemies,  in  the 
heart  of  man,  naturally  so  interested  and  selfish  ? 

I  am  led  by  these  words  to  consider  the  great 
Christian  duty  of  praying  for  others.  Perhaps 
there  is  none  more  neglected,  with  so  little  con- 
sciousness of  sin  in  the  omission  of  it.  Yet  that 
it  is  positively  enjoined  on  Christians  is  apparent, 
not  from  the  text  merely,  but  from  many  other 
passages  of  Scripture.  "  Pray  one  for  another," 
saith  St.  James,  "  that  ye  may  be  healed.  "  It  is 
enforced  by  the  example  of  the  most  eminent 
saints.    Thus  Abraham  interceded  with  God  for 


ON  INTERCESSION  FOR  OTHERS.  425 


Sodom;  and  He  said,  in  answer  to  his  prayer,  "I 
will  not  destroy  it  for  ten's  sake."  Moses,  the 
illustrious  type  of  the  great  Intercessor,  prayed 
for  the  people ;  and  we  learn  that  God  would 
have  destroyed  the  Israelites,  had  not  Moses  his 
chosen  stood  in  the  gap :  I  prayed,"  saith  he, 
"  unto  the  Lord,  and  said,  O  Lord  God,  destroy 
not  thy  people  and  thine  inheritance,  which  thou 
hast  redeemed  through  thy  greatness."  God 
forbid,"  said  Samuel,  "  that  I  should  sin  against 
the  Lord  in  ceasing  to  pray  for  you."  The  Psal- 
mist exhorts  to  pray  for  the  peace  of  Jerusalem  : 

"  They  shall  prosper  that  love  thee  Peace 

be  within  thy  walls,  and  prosperity  within  thy 
palaces."  Isaiah  expresses  his  determination  not 
to  hold  his  peace  for  Zion's  sake,  and  for  Jeru- 
salem not  to  rest  **  until  the  righteousness  thereof 
go  forth  as  brightness,  and  the  salvation  thereof 
as  a  lamp  that  burneth."    Daniel  humbled  him- 
self before  God  day  and  night,  and  fasted  and 
prayed  for  the  sins  of  the  Jews. — Our  blessed 
Lord,  the  great  Intercessor,  who  came  not  to 
be  ministered  unto  but  to  minister,  is  the  most 
eminent  example  of  concern  for  others,  and  has 
taught  us  to  regard  him  in  the  endearing  cha- 
racter of  our  High  Priest,  who  is  continually 
making  intercession  for  us.    Animated  by  his 
example,  and  inspired  with  the  spirit  of  his  re- 
ligion, his  Apostles  abounded  in  prayer  for  all 
men:  —    I  cease  not  to  give  thanks  for  you, 
making  mention  of  you  in  my  prayers" — What 
thanks  can  we  render  to  God  again  for  you,  for 
all  the  joy  wherewith  we  joy  for  your  sakes  before 
our  God  night  and  day,  praying  exceedingly  that 


426  ON  INTKIICKSSION  FOR  OTHERS. 

we  might  see  your  face,  and  might  perfect  that 
which  is  lacking  in  your  faith" — I  beseech 
you,  brethren,  for  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ's  sake, 
and  for  the  love  of  the  Spirit,  that  ye  strive  to- 
gether with  me  in  your  prayers  to  God  for  me" — 
Praying  always  with  all  prayer  and  supplica- 
tion  for  all  saints." 

I  would  not,  however,  enforce  this  duty  merely, 
or  chiefly,  because  it  is  enjoined  to  us  by  the 
precepts,  and  recommended  to  us  by  the  practice, 
of  Patriarchs,  Judges,  Psalmists,  Prophets,  and 
Apostles,  and  of  him  who  is  in  all  respects  our 
great  Example :  it  is  rather  because  this  duty  is 
included  within  the  general  obligation  of  Chris- 
tian love,  of  which  it  forms  an  essential  part. 

It  is  the  great  distinction  between  the  Law  and 
the  Gospel,  that  the  former  contained  a  great 
variety  of  positive  ordinances ;  while  the  latter 
inculcates  general  principles,  which  we  are  left 
to  act  upon  and  apply  in  particular  cases  as  they 
arise.    Men  were  required  to  love  the  Lord  their 
God  with  all  their  heart,  and  soul,  and  strength  ; 
and  when  this  principle  was  once  established  in 
their  hearts,  no  positive  precept  was  necessary 
to  direct  them  to  serve  God  in  any  particular 
instance.    As,  while  our  children  are  infants,  we 
govern  them  by  positive  rules,  and  point  out 
minutely  the  conduct  they  are  to  pursue  or  to 
avoid  ;  but  in  their  more  mature  years  increasing 
knowledge  leads  them  to  regard  their  parents  as 
their  kindest  benefactors  ;  confirms  their  attach- 
ment and  obedience  ;  and  duty  ripens  into  a 
sacred  affection  :  love  becomes  the  interpreter  of 
their  duty,  and  suggests  innumerable  acts  of 


O^f  INTERCESSION  FOR  OTHERS.  427 

obedience  and  affection,  to  which  no  positive 
rules,  however  minute,  could  have  extended ; — 
so,  in  the  duty  of  intercession  for  others,  even 
had  it  not  been  expressly  commanded,  yet  every 
real  disciple  of  Christ,  who  has  learnt  to  love 
his  neighbour  as  himself,  to  mortify  the  selfish 
spirit  natural  to  our  corrupt  state,  and  to  act  from 
enlarged  feelings  of  benevolence,  will  not  need 
an  express  command  to  pray  for  his  brethren. 
He  will  frequently,  I  might  say  involuntarily, 
express  his  compassion  and  love  for  his  neigh- 
bour at  the  Throne  of  Grace,  by  imploring  for  him 
those  blessings  which  he  laments  his  own  inability 
to  bestow.  He  will  not  inquire  whether  he  must 
do  this,  or  whether  it  is  expressly  enjoined;  but 
he  will  perform  it  as  a  relief  to  his  feelings,  as  an 
act  in  which  he  rejoices  to  engage. 

Leaving,  therefore,  the  question  of  the  duty  of 
intercession,  I  proceed  to  consider  its  advantages. 
It  is  needless  here  to  inquire  into  the  general 
reasons  why  prayer,  either  for  ourselves  or  others, 
is  attended  with  benefit :  it  is  sufficient  to  say, 
that  this  is  the  mode  which  God  has  appointed 
for  the  display  of  his  goodness  to  man.  We  do 
not  by  our  prayers  persuade  God  to  do  that  which 
he  otherwise  would  not  have  done  ;  but  when  we 
supplicate  his  mercy,  we  are  using  those  means 
of  grace  which  he  has  appointed,  and  which  he 
has  promised  to  bless.  Yet  we  can  in  some 
measure  understand  how  the  prayers  we  offer 
promote  our  own  welfare,  as  well  as  that  of  those 
for  whom  we  pray.  And, 

I.  Intercession  for  others  may  be  considered 


428  ON  INTERCESSION  FOR  OTHERS. 

as  the  means  of  exciting  benevolent  affections  in 
ourselves. 

Ask  me,  What  is  the  glory  of  an  Angel  above 
a  devil  ?  I  answer.  It  is  the  spirit  of  love  which 
animates  the  one,  of  which  the  other  is  destitute. 
It  is  not  the  absence  of  external  splendour,  it  is 
not  the  suffering  and  misery,  it  is  the  want  of 
benevolence,  by  which  a  fallen  spirit  is  degraded, 
and  which  makes  him  odious. — Ask  me.  What  is 
the  peculiar  glory  of  the  Gospel  above  every 
other  religion  ?  I  reply,  It  is  the  spirit  of  love 
which  breathes  in  it.  God  is  Love  ;  and  the 
Gospel,  which  contains  his  image,  is  a  display  of 
the  most  disinterested,  perfect,  and  extensive  love 
which  the  tongue  can  describe,  or  the  imagination 
conceive. — Ask  me.  What  is  the  effect  which  the 
Gospel  produces  in  him  who  receives  it  in  truth  ? 
My  answer  is.  It  teaches  him  to  love  :  it  annihi- 
lates his  selfishness :  it  expands  his  nature :  it 
fills  him  with  love  to  God  and  to  man  :  it  fashions 
him  anew  after  the  image  of  God.  And  what  is 
this  image?  Every  one  that  loveth  is  born  of 
God,  and  knoweth  God  :  he  that  loveth  not, 
knoweth  not  God." 

The  new  creature,  then,  is  formed  by  the  Spirit 
of  God  to  feel  the  noblest  of  passions  which  can 
animate  the  human  breast ;  and  as  all  graces  are 
nourished  and  increased  by  their  exercise,  so  the 
love  of  a  Christian  is  to  be  kept  in  continual  ac- 
tion, that  he  may  be  made  meet  for  the  inherit- 
ance of  the  saints  in  light,  where  love  is  made 
perfect. — The  providence  of  God  seems  purposely 
to  have  placed  him  in  a  scene  where  the  exercise 
of  love  is  needed,  and  his  benevolent  affections 


ON  INTERCESSION  FOR  OTHERS.  429 

continually  called  forth ;  where  wants  and  mise- 
ries present  themselves  on  every  side  amongst 
his  fellow-creatures  and  his  friends.  What  can 
he  do  for  them?  His  own  means  are  insufficient 
to  relieve  them ;  but  he  can  pray  :  he  can  im- 
plore God  to  supply  what  he  cannot  do.  The 
overflowings  of  his  charity  are  received  in  the 
channel  of  intercession,  and  thus  full  scope  is 
afforded  for  his  benevolent  aff'ections  ;  and  while 
he  prays,  the  spirit  of  love  is  kindled.  No  other 
act  so  powerfully  excites  his  tenderness.  At  the 
Throne  of  Grace  every  petty  jealousy  is  forgotten ; 
we  forgive  the  little  injuries  we  have  received : 
the  soul,  in  communion  with  God,  contemplating 
him  as  the  Father  of  his  creatures  and  the  Foun- 
tain of  all  good,  acquires  some  distant  resemblance 
of  his  unutterable  love,  reflects  some  faint  beam 
of  his  goodness,  and  is  changed  into  the  same 
image  from  glory  to  glory. 

Have  you  a  Friend  ?  Go  to  the  Throne  of  Grace, 
and  there  exalt  and  refine  your  friendship ;  there 
enumerate  all  his  wants ;  think  over  all  the  real 
blessings  which  your  indulgent  love  would  wish 
him  to  enjoy ;  give  full  scope  to  the  ardour  of 
your  feelings ;  consider  all  the  snares  to  which 
he  is  exposed,  all  the  failings  which  your  anxious 
regard  for  him  would  wish  to  be  corrected ; 
spread  before  God  these  wishes  of  your  soul ; 
pray  that  he  may  be  enriched  by  the  God  of  all 
grace  with  all  spiritual  blessings  ;  draw  out  your 
heart  with  love  towards  him  :  let  this  be  at  once 
the  proof  and  the  solace  of  your  friendship.  In 
your  different  addresses  to  God,  let  not  one  in 
the  whole  circle  of  your  friends  be  forgotten  ;  and 


430  ON  INTERCESSION  FOR  OTHERS. 

surely  this  will  expand  the  soul,  and  give  the 
richest  and  the  most  delightful,  because  the  most 
noble,  enjoyment  of  true  love  and  affection. 

Have  you  a  dear  Relation  sick  or  afflicted  ?  Do 
not  shrink  from  partaking  in  his  grief ;  endeavour 
not  to  banish  him  from  your  thoughts  ;  repine 
not  at  his  sorrows  with  unavailing  pity,  but  pour 
out  your  heart  before  the  Father  of  mercies  : 
pray  that  he  would  remove  the  trial,  if  it  be  his 
will ;  or,  if  not,  that  he  would  impart  strength  to 
bear  and  grace  to  profit  by  it.  Thus  your  friend- 
ship, elevated  by  religion,  will  share  the  sorrows 
of  those  you  love,  w^ithout  repining,  and  convert 
even  those  afflictions  into  the  means  of  heisrhten- 
ing  your  affection. 

Are  you  indebted  to  a  generous  Benefactor,  to 
whom  you  cannot  repay  the  debt  of  gratitude  ? 
O  what  a  just  and  noble  return  may  you  render 
him  by  your  prayers  !  Cherish  your  gratitude, 
and  keep  alive  the  remembrance  of  your  obliga- 
tion ;  but,  instead  of  an  unreasonable  depression 
under  the  sense  of  your  inability  to  make  any 
recompence,  supplicate  the  God  of  all  grace  to 
pour  out  his  blessings  on  your  benefactor,  and  to 
return  his  benefits  abundantly  into  his  bosom. 

Do  you  feel  the  decay  of  friendship  for  those 
you  once  loved  ?  Has  your  sensibility  been  ex- 
tinguished by  a  growing  attachment  to  the  world, 
by  an  increasing  attention  to  selfish  interests  ? 
Rekindle  this  holy  flame  by  fervent  prayer.  Call 
to  remembrance  before  the  Throne  of  God  the 
friend  separated  from  you  by  oceans,  by  the 
globe  ;  and  the  warm  effusions  of  love  will  again 
excite  the  hallowed  flame.    Selfishness  is  the 


ON  INTERCESSION  FOR  OTHERS.  431 

bane  of  friendship  ;  but  fervent  prayer  teaches  us 
to  live  not  for  ourselves,  but  for  others. 

Have  you  a  Pastor  who  w^atches  over  your 
souls  ?  O  return  for  him  those  prayers  he  offers 
for  you  !  How  animating  would  it  be  to  your  mi- 
nister to  consider  his  flock  as  remembering  him 
before  God  !  With  what  hope,  what  comfort, 
what  joy  would  he  minister  before  you,  could  he 
believe  that  your  prayers  had  already  ascended 
for  him  to  the  Throne  of  Grace!  What  a  sacred 
union  would  it  produce  !  How  just  an  image 
would  it  exhibit  of  that  intimate  and  endearing 
connection  which  subsists  between  the  different 
members  of  the  church  of  Christ ! 

See  in  these  instances  the  communion  of  saints. 
Thus  have  they  fellowship  with  each  other,  and 
with  their  common  Head.  Thus  is  Christian 
love  produced  and  cherished  in  them.  They 
learn  to  drop  their  animosities,  and  forgive  as 
they  hope  to  be  forgiven.  Their  love  is  excited, 
preserved,  and  purified.  They  descend  from  the 
mount  with  their  countenances  glowing  with  the 
warmth  of  tenderness  for  those  on  whose  behalf 
they  have  been  interceding  there.  This  is  their 
bond  of  union  ;  the  secret  but  powerful  spring  of 
affection  unknown  to  the  world,  and  producing 
an  unfailing  supply  of  increasing  benevolence. 

II.  Intercession  for  others  will  also  produce 
the  spirit  of  love  in  those  for  whom  we  pray. — 
Love  creates  love.  You  cannot  meet  your  friend, 
after  your  heart  has  been  engaged  in  fervent  sup- 
plication for  him,  without  expressing  that  genuine 
tenderness  which  will  produce  a  reciprocal  re^ 


432  ON  INTERCESSION  FOR  OTHERS. 

gard  in  him.  Why  do  you  so  often  meet  your 
friend  as  a  stranger  ?  Why  do  you  meet  without 
affection  ?  Why  that  cool  look,  that  uninteresting 
demeanour  ?  How  different  would  have  been  the 
feelings  of  each,  had  each  been  engaged  in  fervent 
prayer  for  the  other  ! 

Intercession  enlarges  the  exercise  of  friend- 
ship :  it  opens  a  new  source  of  love.  Let  not  a 
Christian  say,  I  am  forsaken — I  meet  with  no 
acts  of  kindness.  Has  he  then  no  Christian 
friends  ?  Let  him  think  of  them  as  interceding 
for  him.  Is  he  in  trouble,  in  perplexity,  in  suf- 
fering ?  O  what  a  consolation  to  remember,  that 
those  whom  he  best  loves  are  wrestling  in  his 
behalf  before  the  Father  of  Mercies !  What  an 
encouragement !  Hard  indeed  must  be  the  heart 
which  is  not  moved  by  such  a  reflection.  It 
transports  a  man  into  a  new  world  :  it  connects 
him  by  the  tenderest  bond  of  union  with  all  the 
holy  and  pure  spirits  by  whom,  even  in  this  cor- 
rupt state,  he  is  surrounded  :  it  gives  him  the 
only  true  and  exalted  enjoyment  of  friendship. 

Intercession  for  our  friends  refines  our  friend- 
ship, and  redeems  it  from  those  debasing  feelings 
by  which  the  attachments  of  worldly  men  are  so 
often  degraded.  The  highest  act  of  the  ordinary 
friendships  of  the  world  is  to  promote  the  tem- 
poral advancement,  or  the  idle  if  not  the  vicious 
inclinations,  of  those  we  love.  But  when  we 
pray  for  those  we  love,  what  are  the  blessings 
we  ask  ?  Not  surely  those  which  are  gross  and 
carnal,  nor  those  only  which  are  temporal  and 
transitory.  We  pray  that  grace  may  be  imparted 
to  them;  that  they  may  attain  a  just  knowledge 


ON  INTERCESSION  FOR  OTHERS.  433 

of  themselves,  and  of  God  ;  that  they  may  grow 
in  love  to  him,  in  purity  of  heart  and  life,  in  ten- 
derness and  compassion  to  mankind.  How  new 
a  character  do  these  prayers  give  to  friendship ! 
They  teach  us  what  friendship  ought  to  be.  So 
far  as  the  prayer  is  heard  and  accepted,  it  moulds 
the  character  of  our  friend  into  a  more  holy  and 
lovely  form:  and  this  pure,  this  generous,  this 
holy  friendship,  can  attract  a  warmth  and  con- 
stancy of  affection  which  even  death  itself  cannot 
extinguish.  Compared  with  this,  how  cold  and 
poor  is  the  friendship  of  the  world ;  how  sordid 
its  principles,  how  transitory  its  duration  ! 

III.  The  third  advantage  of  intercession  for 
our  friends,  consists  in  its  exciting  our  love  to- 
wards God. — This  is  its  direct  influence.  Can 
you  go  to  the  Father  of  Mercies  day  by  day,  im- 
ploring blessings  upon  all  you  love ; — can  you 
diversify  these  petitions,  adapting  them  to  the 
various  necessities,  sorrows,  and  circumstances 
of  your  frieflds,  asking  benefits  of  every  kind, 
spiritual  and  temporal ; — can  you  daily  renew, 
and  urge,  and  vary  these  claims ;  and  do  you  not 
exclaim.  How  infinite  the  riches,  how  boundless 
the  power,  how  vast  the  bounty  of  the  Being  I 
address !  He  is  the  Giver  of  all  good  things  to 
my  children,  to  my  friend,  to  my  neighbour,  to 
my  country,  to  the  whole  world,  to  the  universe! 
Whatever  good  I  want,  whatever  good  those  I 
love  can  receive ;  all,  all  must  come  from  that 
rich  Source  of  all  good,  which  never  fails. — Do 
not  these  reflections,  then,  establish  a  closer,  a 
more  endearing,  relation  between  thee  and  God  ? 

VOL.  II.  2  F 


434 


ON  IXTERCESSION  FOR  OTHERS. 


Is  not  that  friendship  which  engages  thee  in 
prayer,  the  means  of  explaining  and  magnifying 
the  goodness  of  thy  Heavenly  Father?  Is  thy 
friend  blessed  ?  It  is  He  who  has  blessed  him. 
If  thou  lovest  thy  friend,  wilt  thou  not  love  thy 
God,  who  is  the  Author  of  his  happiness  ?  Thus, 
then,  Christian  love,  conducted  on  Christian 
principles,  reveals  the  great  and  surpassing  love 
of  God,  and  honours  his  holy  Name  ;  and  thus, 
when  we  indeed  love  our  neighbour  as  ourselves, 
we  are  led  to  love  our  God  with  all  our  heart, 
and  all  our  soul,  and  all  our  mind,  and  all  our 
strength. 

IV.  The  last  advantage  which  I  shall  mention 
in  intercession  for  our  Friends,  is,  that  it  is  the 
direct  means  of  promoting  their  welfare. — Even 
were  it  attended  with  no  direct  and  positive 
benefit  communicated  to  our  friends  on  account 
of  it,  what  I  have  hitherto  said  would  not  be  the 
less  true.  But  far  be  it  from  us  to  indulge  such 
a  supposition !  On  the  contrary,  there  is  the  most 
distinct  proof  that  our  prayers  do  materially 
tend  to  the  prosperity  and  welfare  of  those  for 
whom  we  pray.  It  appears  to  be  a  universal 
law  in  the  moral  government  of  the  world,  that 
the  blessings  of  God  are  communicated  to  us 
through  the  intervention  of  others.  We  are  so 
united  and  knit  together,  that  we  can  scarcely 
name  a  benefit  which  is  not  imparted  to  us 
through  the  instrumentality  of  our  fellow-crea- 
tures. A  large  share  of  our  comforts  and  happi- 
ness is  given  to  us  by  means  of  the  tender  care 
and  solicitude  of  our  parents,  through  the  sym- 


ON  INTERCESSION  FOR  OTHERS.  435 

pathy  and  kindness  of  our  relations  and  friends. 
Unless  we  admit  this  to  be  the  appointed  order  of 
the  Supreme  Ruler  of  the  world,  we  must  suppose 
that  one  of  the  most  important  parts  of  the  eco- 
nomy of  human  life  is  a  matter  of  accident  and 
chance.  Why,  then,  may  not  God  grant  to  the 
prayers  of  his  people  blessings  which  otherwise 
they  would  not  have  obtained  ?  Why,  when  he 
intends  to  bless,  may  he  not  do  so  through  the 
medium  of  prayer  and  intercession  ?  Can  any 
thing  be  more  consonant  to  the  general  analogy 
and  constitution  of  the  world?  Even  the  great 
benefits  of  redemption  are  conveyed  to  us  through 
the  intercession  of  the  Redeemer.  What  an  ex- 
ample did  he  exhibit  of  the  performance  of  this 
duty !  He  prayed  whole  nights  together.  He 
watched  over  his  disciples,  and  prayed  that  their 
faith  might  not  fail.  Even  on  the  cross  he  was 
engaged  in  intercession,  and  that  for  his  enemies. 
It  is  now  his  peculiar  office  to  intercede  for  us, 
and  to  present  our  prayers  to  the  Father.  We 
are  taught  to  pray  in  his  name.  In  the  Jewish 
dispensation,  a  peculiar  tribe  was  set  apart  to 
make  intercession  for  the  people.  The  whole 
system  of  the  Divine  administration  is  a  system 
of  intercession.  Let  us  not  think,  then,  that  our 
prayers  are  in  vain.  The  pious  supplications  of 
a  parent  are  often  crowned  by  the  communication 
of  grace  to  his  child.  The  tender  supplications 
of  a  friend  may  be  the  means  of  communicating 
support  and  consolation  to  the  unhappy.  I  am 
persuaded,  not  only  that  intercession  is  useful, 
but  that  we  really  possess  the  means  of  commu- 
nicating by  our  prayers  most  important  and  sub- 


436  ON  INTERCESSION  FOR  OTHERS. 


stantial  benefit  to  our  friends ;  and  I  think  we 
should  be  fully  convinced  of  this  truth,  if  we  ac- 
quired a  juster  view  of  the  character  of  God,  and 
attained  a  more  perfect  conception  of  the  laws 
by  which  he  governs  his  creatures. 

I  would  conclude,  therefore,  by  exhorting  those 
who  may  imagine  that  their  weakness  or  poverty 
disables  them  from  assisting  others,  to  con'ect  so 
erroneous  an  opinion.  You  can  exert  a  most 
beneficial  influence  in  their  behalf :  you  can  pray 
for  those  you  wish  to  serve,  and  in  this  way  can 
manifest  your  gratitude  to  those  to  whom  you 
are  indebted. 

Let  us  learn  from  this  subject  the  true  method 
of  perpetuating  and  ennobling  friendship. — You 
complain  that  the  love  of  your  friends  decays, 
and  that  your  own  attachment  towards  them  is 
diminished.  You  complain  of  mutual  jealousies, 
of  suspicions  and  slights,  which  chill  the  ardour 
of  your  former  tenderness.  These  are  sure  in- 
dications that  your  friendship  is  a  mere  worldly 
attachment.  Afiection  commenced  in  right  prin- 
ciples, cemented  by  religion,  and  often  sealed 
and  confirmed  by  mutual  prayer,  would  not  thus 
easily  decay.  Examine,  then,  the  foundation, 
the  object,  and  the  character  of  your  friendships. 
That  only  deserves  the  name  which  aims  at  the 
spiritual  and  eternal  good  of  him  you  love.  That 
connection  does  not  deserve  the  name,  which 
can  flatter  the  vices  or  minister  to  the  corrupt 
propensities  of  a  friend,  or  which  has  no  other 
object  than  the  promotion  of  his  worldly  interest 
and  present  gratification. 


ON  INTERCESSION  FOR  OTHERS.  487 

Finally,  let  us  learn  who  has  been  our  truest 
Friend,  to  whom  we  have  been  most  indebted. 
Think  often  of  Him  who  has  laboured  the  most 
for  your  welfare;  who  has  most  watched  over 
your  soul,  and  prayed  the  most  effectually  for 
you.  Think  of  Him  who  now  liveth  to  make  in- 
tercession for  you.  That  Friend  is  Christ.  Ac- 
custom yourself  to  consider  him  in  this  character. 
Confide,  then,  in  his  love;  commit  yourself  to 
his  care ;  and  humbly  follow  him  whithersoever 
he  leadeth  you.  He  will  conduct  you  at  length 
to  the  seat  of  true  and  perfect  love,  of  never- 
failing  friendship. 


438 


SERMON  XXIX. 

ON  THE  MOTIVES  TO  CHRISTIAN  OBEDIENCE. 
ROMANS  Xii.  1. 

/  beseech  you,  therefore,  brethren,  by  the  mercies 
of  God  . 

There  are  several  motives  which  may  influence 
the  mind  to  obey  and  serve  God :  and  these  are 
distinguished  from  each  other  by  their  purity 
and  excellence,  and  by  the  force  with  which  they 
operate. 

I.  The  first  of  these  is,  fear  of  the  Divine 
punishments. 

When  we  reflect  on  the  tremendous  effects  of 
the  anger  of  God,  on  the  nature  of  eternal  punish- 
ment, on  the  worm  that  never  dieth,  and  the  fire 
that  is  never  quenched :  when  we  consider  how 
strongly,  how  frequently,  and  with  what  solem- 
nity, eternal  woe  is  denounced  against  impenitent 
transgressors,  we  are  astonished  that  men  are  not 
absolutely  overwhelmed  with  terror  lest  they 
should  be  condemned  at  the  tribunal  of  God  : 
yet,  in  fact,  it  is  rarely  that  we  perceive  this  fear 
operating  in  a  very  extensive  degree.  Loose  and 
unfounded  views  of  the  mercy  of  God  often  pre- 
vent his  terrors  from  affecting  the  mind.  Every 


MOTIVES  TO  CHRISTIAN  OBEDIENCE.  439 


man  flatters  himself  that  his  own  case  is  not  so 
peculiarly  atrocious  as  to  warrant  a  punishment 
so  dreadful.  At  present  he  feels  no  particular 
suffering  in  consequence  of  the  justice  of  God; 
and  the  vengeance  which  is  threatened  hereafter 
is  remote,  and  perhaps  uncertain.  Hence  the 
fear  of  punishment  is  seldom  a  powerful  restraint 
from  sin.  Because  sentence  against  an  evil 
work  is  not  executed  speedily,  therefore  the 
heart  of  the  sons  of  men  is  fully  set  in  them  to  do 
evil." 

There  are  cases,  indeed,  in  which  the  terrors 
of  the  Lord  operate  with  their  due  force.  When 
conscience  is  roused  from  its  insensibility ;  when 
the  Spirit  of  God  sets  before  the  soul  the  denun- 
ciations of  Divine  wrath;  when  the  imagination 
pictures  to  itself  the  horrors  of  eternal  condemna- 
tion; when  the  understanding  admits  the  proba- 
bility, and  is  convinced  of  the  justice,  of  the 
threatened  punishment  —  at  such  times  terror 
produces  the  most  powerful  effects:  it  enforces 
the  severest  penances  ;  it  bends  the  knee  in  con- 
stant supplication:  it  sometimes  depresses  the 
mind  to  the  abyss  of  despair,  or  even  drives  it  to 
distraction.  Thy  terrors  have  I  suffered  with  a 
troubled  mind."  When  thou  with  rebukes  dost 
chasten  man  for  sin,  thou  makest  his  beauty  to 
consume  away,  like  as  it  were  a  moth  fretting  a 
garment."  My  bones  waxed  old  through  my 
roaring  all  the  day  long :  (for  day  and  night  thy 
hand  was  heavy  upon  me :)  my  moisture  was 
turned  into  the  drought  of  summer." 

There  are  particular  constitutions  on  which 
terror  is  especially  calculated  to  operate.  There 


440 


ON  THE  MOTIVES 


are  peculiar  states  of  mind  in  which  the  heart 
is  more  than  commonly  alive  to  these  emotions. 
There  are  sins  so  gross  and  aggravated,  that  the 
most  hardened  heart  cannot  reflect  on  them  with- 
out anguish  and  dismay.  Yet  fear  is  an  imperfect 
principle.  It  does  not  purify  the  mind — it  may 
consist  with  the  greatest  love  of  sin.  It  may  pre- 
vent the  commission  of  crimes  from  no  higher 
principle  than  that  of  self-love.  The  heart  resumes 
its  original  bias  when  alarm  and  danger  have 
passed  away.  However  useful,  therefore,  in  its 
proper  place,  and  to  a  limited  extent,  the  fear  of 
Divine  punishment  may  be,  it  is  not  that  motive 
which  has  the  greatest  efficacy  in  subduing  sin. 

II.  Regard  to  our  ozvn  interest  is  another  motive 
to  Christian  obedience. — Though  less  violent  and 
powerful  in  its  efl'ects,  it  is  more  general  and  pre- 
valent than  the  motive  of  terror ;  and  though  the 
importance  and  utility  of  it  is  not  to  be  disputed, 
it  must,  in  common  with  fear,  be  admitted  to  be 
an  imperfect  principle  of  action.  There  are  few 
who  have  not  even  a  deep  sense  of  the  misery  and 
evils  of  sin,  and  of  the  temporal  and  eternal  ad- 
vantages of  righteousness.  Most  men  have  learned 
these  lessons  from  their  own  experience ;  and  all 
have  seen  the  gall  and  bitterness  of  sin  in  the 
lives  of  others.  A  very  slight  acquaintance  with 
the  world  is  enough  to  prove  the  confusion  which 
sin  produces  in  society;  the  ruin  to  which  it 
exposes  families  ;  the  loss  of  reputation  which 
follows  it ;  the  anguish  of  mind  and  remorse  by 
which  it  is  succeeded,  and  which  are  only  the 
just  forebodings  of  miseries  more  dreadful,  and 


TO  CHRISTIAN  OBEDIENCE.  441 

of  an  irretrievable  destruction  hereafter.  On 
the  other  hand,  the  most  inattentive  observer 
cannot  fail  to  perceive  the  respect  v^hich  even 
bad  men  pay  to  the  character  of  the  righteous ; 
the  peace  of  mind  which  he  enjoys  ;  the  useful 
and  important  station  which  he  acquires  in  his 
own  social  circle;  his  resources  in  the  deepest 
gloom  and  wretchedness;  the  hopes  of  eternal 
happiness  which  cheer  his  heart;  and  the  tran- 
quillity with  which  he  anticipates  the  dissolution 
of  his  body.       Let  me,"  said  Balaam,     die  the 
death  of  the  righteous,  and  let  my  last  end  be 
like  his."    And  doubtless  this  observation  of  the 
blessings  which  attend  a  life  of  righteousness  has 
influenced  many  to  renounce  their  sinful  courses, 
and  to  live  a  sober,  righteous,  and  godly  life.  I 
am  so  fully  persuaded  that  this  is  among  those 
habitual  motives  which  the  Spirit  of  God  suggests 
for  our  growth  in  holiness,  and  I  feel  so  strongly 
our  need  of  every  help  in  running  the  arduous 
race  set  before  us,  that  I  would  not,  without 
great  tenderness  and  jealousy,  venture,  in  the 
slightest  degree,  to  derogate  from  the  importance 
of  this  principle.    I  fear  lest  I,  or  any  of  the 
ministers  of  Christ,  should  thus  deprive  our 
hearers  of  a  motive  of  great  efficacy,  and  un- 
exceptionable in  itself,  without  substituting  one 
still  more  powerful  in  its  place.    Yet  with  this 
caution  I  must  be  allowed  to  observe,  that  this 
principle  is  not  so  pure  in  its  origin  as  that  which 
is  to  produce  holiness  ought  to  be :  it  is  closely 
aljied  to  mere  selfishness :  it  does  not  sufiiciently 
refer  to  the  glory  of  God,  and  to  the  real  intrinsic 
excellence  of  holiness.    In  its  influence,  also,  it 


442 


ON  THE  MOTIVES 


is  comparatively  weak :  it  will  scarcely  withstand 
a  powerful  temptation,  or  enable  us  to  decline 
immediate  indulgence,  and  submit  to  painful  self- 
denial.  It  does  not  lead  to  high  Christian  attain- 
ments :  it  is  content  to  keep  just  within  the  pale 
of  safety.  It  does  not  induce  us  to  be  fearless  of 
unjust  reproach :  it  leaves  us  disposed  to  com- 
promise with  the  world,  to  dread  the  charge  of 
enthusiasm,  and  to  reduce  religion  to  that  mode- 
rate and  easy  profession  which  requires  no  exer- 
tion, incurs  no  risk,  and  demands  no  sacrifice  or 
self-denial.  Without  any  higher  motive,  we  should 
be  satisfied  to  prevent  distress  of  conscience, 
without  aspiring  to  higher  degrees  of  virtue.  This 
alone  cannot  elevate  the  soul  to  any  lofty  under- 
takings, nor  inspire  it  with  benevolent  zeal,  nor 
prompt  it  to  honourable  exertions. 

III.  The  third  motive  to  Christian  obedience 
which  I  shall  notice,  is  the  sense  of  duty  ;  in  which 
we  recognise  a  higher  and  purer  principle  of 
action. — Happy  is  that  man  who  acts  habitually 
from  a  conscientious  determination  to  obey  the 
will  of  God ;  who  will  not  be  influenced  by  any 
sensual  or  worldly  object  to  deviate  from  the  path 
which  conscience  enjoins  him  to  pursue.  Without 
this  high  and  stedfast  sense  of  duty  there  can  be 
no  excellence,  no  virtue,  no  religion.  Every  real 
Christian  has  submitted  himself  to  the  direction 
of  conscience.  Without  this,  the  very  ground  and 
foundation  of  piety  is  wanting. 

But  it  is  not  enough  that  we  act  from  a  sense 
of  duty  —  that  is,  that  we  feel  a  powerful  obliga- 
tion to  pursue  a  particular  course  of  conduct,  and 


TO  CHRISTIAN  OBEDIENCE.  443 

to  avoid  whatever  is  inconsistent  w^ith  it.  We 
must  inquire  on  v^hat  ground  our  sense  of  duty 
is  founded — why  we  are  obliged  to  adopt  one 
course  of  conduct,  rather  than  another.  It  is 
possible  to  have  a  high  sense  of  duty,  and|even 
to  act  consistently  from  it,  without  any  deep  re- 
verence to  God— without  any  love  to  Christ,  or 
any  particular  regard  to  him — without  any  of 
those  affections  which  Christianity  requires,  or 
which  are  peculiar  to  it.  Thus,  men  often  endure 
the  fatigues  and  dangers  of  military  life,  or  the 
anxieties  and  labour  of  high  civil  offices,  from  a 
sense  of  duty,  which  is  not  in  the  least  degree 
connected  with  religious  principle.  The  opinions 
and  customs  of  the  world  require  from  men  in 
those  situations  an  eminent  devotion  to  the  service 
of  the  public ;  and  they  engage  in  that  service 
with  constancy  and  zeal,  because  the  world  is 
the  master  they  serve,  whose  rewards  they  desire, 
and  whose  approbation  is  their  highest  glory. 
And  thus,  in  our  domestic  relations  also,  a  man 
may  discharge  his  duty  assiduously,  as  a  father, 
a  husband,  or  a  neighbour,  and  may  feel  much 
shame  and  compunction  for  neglecting  it,  while, 
in  reality,  he  is  acting  from  a  regard  to  character, 
and  from  deference  to  the  current  maxims  and 
opinions  of  society.  The  sense  of  duty  is  not 
seldom  a  motive  to  action,  even  in  cases  where 
the  views  of  duty  are  confined  and  erroneous,  or 
even  radically  corrupt. 

IV.  Let  us  next  consider  a  principle  much  less 
liable  to  exception  ;  gratitude  to  God  for  his  good- 
ness to  w^.— God  is  the  fountain  of  all  good,  the 


444 


ON  THE  MOTIVES 


source  of  all  religion,  and  the  centre  of  all  ex- 
cellence ;  and  in  proportion  as  our  motives  have 
reference  to  him,  they  approach  to  that  principle 
which  alone  is  really  pure  and  excellent.  When, 
therefore,  our  hearts  are  filled  with  the  remem- 
brance of  his  loving-kindness  to  us,  and  we  are 
thus  constrained  to  obey  and  serve  him,  we  are 
acting  from  a  principle  which  has  him  alone  for 
its  object,  and  which  he  will  graciously  approve. 
Still,  however,  our  gratitude  to  God  is  not  that 
motive  which  leads  to  the  highest  attainments  in 
religion.  It  may  chiefly  have  respect  to  his  tem- 
poral mercies.    A  man  whom  God  has  blessed 
with  health  and  riches,  whom  he  has  distinguished 
from  the  multitude  by  an  accumulation  of  pros- 
perity, may  feel  the  most  grateful  emotions  to  the 
Author  of  his  happiness,  and  in  the  gladness  of  his 
heart  may  ascribe  to  him  glory  and  praise :  he 
may  be  led  to  regulate  his  life  by  the  precepts  of 
his  Benefactor,  and  rejoice  to  manifest  his  thank- 
fulness by  those  occasional  sacrifices  which  en- 
hance rather  than  interrupt  his  felicity.  Yet  had 
it  pleased  God  to  withhold  his  temporal  mercies, 
perhaps  these  feelings  would  have  passed  away, 
and  murmuring  and  despair  would  have  succeeded 
to  this  joyful  obedience.    Thus  Satan  objected, 
Doth  Job  fear  God  for  nought  ?   Hast  thou  not 
made  a  hedge  about  him,  and  about  his  house, 
and  about  all  that  he  hath,  on  every  side  ?  Thou 
hast  blessed  the  work  of  his  hands,  and  his  sub- 
stance is  increased  in  the  land.    But  put  forth 
thine  hand  now,  and  touch  all  that  he  hath,  and 
he  will  curse  thee  to  thy  face."— The  complacency 
and  satisfaction  we  feel  in  the  blessings  that 


TO  CHRISTIAN  OBEDIENCE.  445 

surround  us,  and  the  gratitude  they  excite,  are 
easily  mistaken  for  religion.  But  true  Religion 
is  of  a  much  higher  nature  :  it  will  bless  the  name 
of  the  Lord  when  he  takes  away,  as  well  as  when 
he  gives.  True  Religion  shines  forth  in  holy  con- 
fidence and  love,  when  the  heavens  lower  with 
blackness,  when  the  face  of  God  is  hidden,  when 
the  storms  of  heaven  beat  around  us  with  deso- 
lating fury,  and  lay  waste  every  pleasant  pro- 
spect and  destroy  every  pleasing  hope.  Even 
then  her  voice  is  heard  in  songs  of  praise,  her 
heart  is  filled  with  meek  resignation  and  pious 
reverence.  True  Religion  forms  such  lofty  con- 
ceptions of  spiritual  and  eternal  blessings,  that 
those  of  time  and  sense  are  comparatively  worth- 
less in  her  esteem.  She  is  grateful  chiefly  for  the 
gift  of  Jesus  Christ,  for  the  influence  of  the  Holy 
Spirit,  for  the  guidance  and  consolation  of  the 
Scriptures,  for  the  means  of  grace,  and  for  the 
hope  of  glory.  She  gives  thanks  to  God  for 
temporal  prosperity;  but  considers  it  a  dubious 
blessing,  and  rejoices  with  trembling. 

V.  Let  us  then  proceed  to  contemplate  the 
purest  and  highest  motive  to  Christian  obedience; 
a  motive  to  which  no  exception  can  be  made ; 
which  sanctifies  the  heart  while  it  renders  glory 
to  God.  It  is  the  love  of  God;—di  sense  of  gra- 
titude not  merely  for  his  mercies  to  ourselves, 
but  for  those  which  he  has  vouchsafed  to  all  the 
children  of  men ;  the  love  of  his  infinite  goodness, 
and  of  his  glorious  perfections.  This  is  the  prin- 
ciple which  inspired  the  breast  of  the  Prophets 
and  Apostles  :  this  kindled  the  devout  aff'ections 


446 


ON  THE  MOTIVES 


of  the  Patriarchs  and  holy  men  of  old  :  this  ani- 
mated the  Martyrs  to  endure  sufferings  and  death : 
this  has  glowed  in  the  bosom  of  every  member  of 
the  holy  catholic  church,  and  has  disposed  him 
to  obey  and  serve  God  in  a  manner  acceptable  to 
him,  and  with  a  worship  pure  in  its  origin  and 
excellent  in  its  effects. 

I  would  not  be  understood  to  assert,  that  a  true 
Christian  is  never  influenced  by  the  other  motives 
I  have  noticed.  On  the  contrary,  he  is  governed 
by  them  all  in  a  greater  or  less  degree ;  but  he  is 
chiefly  influenced  by  that  love  of  God  which  ex- 
ceeds every  other  principle  in  energy  as  well  as 
in  purity.  There  are  different  circumstances  in 
which  each  of  these  motives  has  its  appropriate 
and  salutary  influence.  When  a  sinner  first  be- 
gins to  seek  salvation,  or  when  a  Christian  falls 
into  sin,  or  when  the  conscience  becomes  stupi- 
fied  by  repeated  transgressions,  the  heart  may 
be  justly  alarmed  and  roused  by  the  fear  of  the 
judgments  of  God.  At  certain  times,  and  on 
some  occasions,  this  may  be  a  more  necessary 
and  effectual  stimulus  than  love.  The  denun- 
ciations of  God  against  sinners  may  be  required 
to  rouse  the  dormant  feelings  of  contrition  and 
penitence,  and  to  prepare  the  mind  for  the  re- 
ception of  higher  and  better  motives.  It  is  to 
administer  poison  to  the  soul  to  discourse  to  an 
impenitent  sinner  only  on  the  love  of  God,  or 
only  to  exhort  him  to  gratitude  for  his  spiritual 
mercies.  The  justice  of  God  is  that  topic  on 
which  he  should  be  led  to  dwell :  the  holiness  of 
God  is  the  attribute  which  immediately  concerns 
him.  The  fear  of  Divine  punishment  is  necessary 


TO  CHRISTIAN  OBEDIENCE.  447 

to  guard  against  the  perversion  or  abuse  of  every 
higher  motive.  In  his  present  state  of  corruption 
and  infirmity,  man  could  not  safely  be  released 
from  the  restraints  which  the  fear  of  Divine  dis- 
pleasure imposes.  Hence  St.  Paul  warned  his 
disciples,  as  well  as  encouraged  them ;  warning 
every  man,  and  teaching  every  man."  Hence  he 
admonishes  the  Hebrews  to  take  heed,  ''lest  any 
of  them  should  be  hardened  through  the  deceit- 
fulness  of  sin.... lest  there  should  be  in  any  of  them 
an  evil  heart  of  unbelief  in  departing  from  the 
living  God.... for  we  are  made  partakers  of  Christ, 
if  we  hold  the  beginning  of  our  confidence  sted- 

fast  unto  the  end  Let  us  therefore  fear,  lest,  a 

promise  being  left  us  of  entering  into  his  rest,  any 
should  seem  to  come  short  of  it." 

In  like  manner,  a  regard  for  our  own  interest 
is  an  important  motive,  although  subordinate  to 
the  love  of  God.  It  will  have  great  influence  at 
times ;  and  it  is  never  unimportant  to  be  deeply 
convinced  that  we  can  find  no  happiness  in  the 
ways  of  sin,  that  God  is  the  only  source  of  true 
and  solid  happiness,  and  that  in  keeping  his  com- 
mandments there  is  great  reward.  No  opinion 
can  be  more  just  than  this;  none  better  calculated 
to  keep  the  mind  stedfast  in  its  pursuit  of  religion, 
when  tempted  by  apparent  advantage  to  deviate 
from  the  right  path.  All  such  motives,  although 
not  the  noblest' and  strongest  principles  of  action, 
should  be  strengthened  and  cherished. — Thus, 
also,  a  sacred  regard  to  duty  should  be  ever 
maintained  and  cultivated.  Let  not  the  liberty 
with  which  Christ  has  made  us  free  degenerate 
into  licentiousness.    Let  us  not  boast  of  higher 


448 


ox  THE  MOTIVES 


motives,  unless  we  feel  the  full  force  of  those  that 
are  lower,  but  which  perhaps,  on  that  very  ac- 
count, are  more  imperiously  binding  on  us. 
Conscience  is  Grod's  vicegerent;  and  he  who  is 
not  scrupulously  upright  in  the  faithful  discharge 
of  every  branch  of  duty,  does  but  deceive  him- 
self in  supposing  that  he  is  influenced  by  the  love 
of  Crod.    If  a  man  say  he  loves  God,  and  keeps 
not  his  commandments — or,  in  other  words,  does 
not  do  his  duty  conscientiously — he  is  a  liar,  and 
the  truth  is  not  in  him.  For  if  a  man  love  not  his 
brother  whom  he  has  seen,  how  shall  he  love  God 
whom  he  has  not  seen  ? — Let  us  cherish  also  gra- 
titude to  God  for  his  temporal  mercies  to  ourselves 
as  individuals.  jN'one  should  be  passed  by  without 
regard.    They  are  the  girt  of  God  ;  and  though 
we  deserve  not  the  least  of  them,  we  are  bound 
to  enjoy  them  with  thanksgiving.    There  is  a 
gloomy  kind  of  piety,  which  seems  to  think  God 
honoured  in  proportion  as  the  afl:ections  which 
he  has  planted  in  us  are  mortified,  and  the  gifts 
he  has  bestowed  upon  us  are  rejected.    There  is 
an  abstract  piety,  which  would  so  exclude  every 
selfish  consideration  as  to  require  us  to  love  God 
wholly  for  his  own  sake,  without  any  reference  to 
the  benefits  which  we  have  received  firom  Him. 
Such  is  not  the  piety  which  the  Scriptures  incul- 
cate: nor  is  it  agreeable  to  the  nature  of  man,  or 
likely  to  be  beneficial  in  its  effects.  I  grant  the  infe- 
riority of  that  gratitude  which  is  selfish  :  I  grant 
the  inferiority  of  those  mercies  which  are  merely 
temporal :  but  we  are  men,  fallen  and  imperfect ; 
and  the  religion  which  may  suit  the  nature  of 
angels  and  archangels,  may  not  be  the  most 


TO  CHRISTIAN  OBEDIENCE. 


449 


proper  for  such  creatures  as  we  are.  In  a  word, 
we  require  every  aid,  and  should  cherish  every 
allowable  motive  to  piety ;  yet  always  remem- 
bering, that  the  grand  principle  to  which  we 
should  aspire,  is  the  pure  love  of  God,  derived 
from  the  sense  of  his  infinite  goodness  and  glo- 
rious perfections.  The  real  Christian  when  ad- 
vanced to  an  eminent  stage  of  piety,  admires, 
and  loves,  and  adores  God  for  his  own  sake. 
He  has  long  contemplated  his  infinite  wisdom, 
ordering  and  appointing  all  things  for  the  best, 
and  in  the  best  manner; — his  almighty  power, 
pervading  the  universe,  and  accomplishing  every 
object;  —  his  supreme  and  absolute  authority, 
ruling  over  every  creature  of  his  hands ;  —  his 
boundless  and  unmeasured  goodness,  showering 
down  blessings  in  inexhaustible  profusion  upon 
angels,  upon  men,  and  upon  brutes,  neither  neg- 
lecting nor  overlooking  the  least  considerable  of 
the  works  of  his  hands; — his  unspotted  holiness, 
which  exalts  him  in  the  esteem  of  all  intelligent 
beings ;  yet  more  than  even  his  boundless  power 
or  infinite  goodness,  that  holiness  which  preserves 
the  universe  in  the  order  and  happiness  in  which 
it  was  created  ;  which  cuts  off  misery  in  its  source, 
by  cutting  off*  sin,  the  fruitful  root  of  all  evil. 

Thus  every  perfection  of  the  blessed  God  is 
acknowledged  and  adored.  His  is  that  character 
which  the  real  Christian  perceives  to  be  most  ex- 
cellent, and  most  lovely  ;  which  contains  in  it  all 
that  men  or  angels  could  desire :  and  thus  is  he 
prepared  by  the  love  of  God,  pure  though  imper- 
fect, to  chant  his  praises  and  to  perform  his  will, 
in  those  blessed  regions  in  which  He  will  be  better 

VOL.  II.  2  G 


450 


ox  THE  MOTIVES 


known,  more  fervently  loved,  and  more  faithfully 

obeyed,  throughout  the  ages  of  eternity. 

Therefore,  my  brethren  in  Christ  Jesus,  "  I 
beseech  you,  by  the  mercies  of  God,  that  ye  pre- 
sent your  bodies  a  li\-ing  sacrifice,  holy,  accept- 
able to  God,  which  is  your  reasonable  service. 
— I  beseech  you  by  his  mercies :  I  do  not  threaten 
you  by  all  the  terrors  of  God.  I  might  warn  you 
by  the  dreadful  punishment  of  the  impenitent ; 
set  before  you  the  lake  which  bumeth  with  brim- 
stone and  fire ;  and  alarm  you  by  the  tremendous 
sound  of  eternal  judgment;  —  but  these  are  the 

strange  works''  of  God.  The  Gospel  addresses 
you  by  motives  of  a  different  kind: — "Now 
w  e  are  ambassadors  for  Christ,  as  though  God 
did  beseech  you  by  us ;  we  pray  you,  in  Christ's 
stead,  be  ye  reconciled  to  God  :  for  he  hath  made 
him  to  be  sin  for  us,  who  knew  no  sin,  that  we 
might  be  made  the  righteousness  of  Grod  in  him.** 
The  Gospel  sets  before  us  all  the  love  and  mercy 
of  God.  It  addresses  sinners  in  the  language  of 
kindness,  of  parental  love : — "Why  will  ye  die?" 
— As  I  live,  saith  the  Lord,  I  have  no  pleasure 

in  the  death  of  the  wicked  Turn  ye,  turn  ye 

from  your  evil  ways  ;  for  why  will  ye  die?"  The 
message  upon  which  Grod  sent  his  beloved  and 
only  Son  into  the  world,  was  a  message  of  peace: 
it  was  emphatically  denominated  glad  tidings  of 
great  joy.  "  For  God  so  loved  the  world,  that 
he  gave  his  only  begotten  Son,  that  whosoever 
believeth  in  him  should  not  perish,  but  have 
everlasting  life :  for  God  sent  not  his  Son  into 
the  w^orld  to  condemn  the  world,  but  that  the 


TO  CHRISTIAN  OBEDIENCE.  451 

world  through  him  might  be  saved."     God  com- 
mendeth  his  love  toward  us,  in  that  while  we 
were  yet  simiers  Christ  died  for  us."     I  beseech 
you,"  therefore,     brethren,  by  the  mercies  of 
God."    Contemplate  them,  I  entreat  you,  seri- 
ously.   Number,  if  you  can,  the  mercies  which 
God  has  shewn  to  you.  Look  up  to  the  heavens  ; 
and  let  that  sun,  shining  in  his  strength  to  give 
you  light  and  heat — that  moon,  whose  mild  light 
directs  you  in  the  hours  of  darkness — declare  to 
you  the  mercies  of  his  hand.    Look  around,  and 
see  the  whole  earth  replenished  with  the  good- 
ness of  the  Lord  on  every  side,  proclaiming  the 
mercy  of  the  great  Creator.    Look  back,  and 
say  if  you  can  mark  a  single  hour  in  which  the 
hand  of  God  did  not  confer  upon  you  some 
blessing  ;  if  at  the  close  of  any  one  day  you  could 
say,  This  day  I  have  owed  nothing  to  God.  Look 
forward,  and  if  you  do  cherish  a  hope  of  living 
through  eternity  in  bliss  which  our  powers  can 
neither  describe  nor  understand,  think  to  whom 
you  owe  so  delightful  a  propect.    But  above  all, 
I  beseech  you  by  that  mercy  which  gave  his 
only  begotten  Son  to  be  your  Saviour,  and  to  die 
for  you  on  the  cross.    Could  a  greater  gift  be 
given  ?  Could  a  more  exalted  proof  of  the  good- 
ness and  mercy  of  the  Lord  be  desired  ?  Observe 
the  extent  of  his  mercy.    If  you  knew  what  was 
the  real  evil  of  even  one  sin;  if  you  knew  the 
infinite  hatred  which  God  bears  to  the  least  pol- 
lution—  a  hatred  of  which  we  never  can  form  a 
conception;  you  would  then  know  how  to  appre- 
ciate that  mercy  which  moved  him  not  to  spare 
his  only  Son,  but  to  give  him  up  for  us  all.  And 

2  G  2 


452 


ON  THE  MOTIVES 


for  what  did  he  give  his  Son?  That  he,  who 
was  infinitely  dear  to  him,  might  suffer,  and 
might  even  die,  for  you  1  —  that  sins  deep  as 
scarlet,  and  numerous  as  the  sands  of  the  sea, 
might  be  forgiven  freely,  and  be  remembered  no 
more !  And  now  he  offers  to  pardon  you,  and 
invites  you  to  come  to  him  for  mercy  and  for 
grace. 

I  speak,  perhaps,  to  some  who  regard  the 
commandments  of  God  as  grievous,  and  consider 
him  as  an  arbitrary  and  unreasonable  Sovereign. 
Oh !  my  brethren,  do  these  mercies  of  God  de- 
serve such  harsh  conceptions  ?  Are  such  mercies 
as  he  bestows — mercies  infinite  in  value  as  well 
as  boundless  in  extent  and  number — are  all  these 
to  be  disregarded  and  despised  ?  There  is  a  time 
coming  when  you  will  feel  your  need  of  mercy  ; 
when  you  will  call  on  God  (alas !  it  may  be  in 
vain!)  whose  mercies  you  have  despised.  But 
now  God  calls  upon  you;  he  invites  you,  he 
entreats  you,  he  sets  before  you  all  his  mercies : 
and  is  he  to  be  rejected  ?  Are  you  to  make  no 
returns  to  him  ?  I  beseech  you  by  the  mercies 
of  God.  1  would  trust  that  each  of  your  hearts 
has  already  replied,  *  Yes,  Lord,  I  would  devote 

*  myself,  and  all  I  have  and  am,  to  thee.  Thy 
'  mercies  demand  my  heart.    Tell  me,  gracious 

*  Lord,  what  thou  wouldst  have  me  to  do,  and 
'  how  I  can  express  my  sense  of  thy  goodness.' 
Hear,  then,  the  Apostle's  words :  I  beseech  you, 
brethren,  by  the  mercies  of  God,  that  ye  pre- 
sent your  bodies  a  living  sacrifice,  holy,  accept- 
able unto  God,  which  is  your  reasonable  service." 
Let  your  lives,  then,  be  devoted  to  God.  Let 


TO  CHRISTIAN  OBEDIENCE.  453 

them  be  spent  in  his  service,  and  to  his  praise. 
The  only  sacrifice  which  he  requires  is,  that  you 
would  regulate  your  lives  by  his  holy  word.  This 
is  the  work,  and  this  the  disposition,  of  the  angels 
in  heaven.  Do  you  murmur  that  God  exalts  you 
to  their  employment  ? 


454 


SERMON  XXX. 

ON  THE  BENEFIT  OF  THE  SABBATH. 


NEHEMIAH  xhi.  15 — 18. 

In  those  days  saw  I  in  Judah  some  treading  wine- 
presses  on  the  Sabbath ,  and  bringing  in  sheaves, 
and  lading  asses ;  as  also  wine,  grapes,  and  figs, 
and  all  manner  of  burdens,  which  they  brought 
into  Jerusalem  on  the  Sabbath-day :  and  I  testified 
against  them  in  the  day  wherein  they  sold  victuals. 
There  dwelt  men  of  Tyre  also  therein,  which  brought 
fish,  and  all  manner  of  ware,  and  sold  on  the  Sab- 
bath unto  the  children  of  Judah,  and  in  Jerusalem. 
Then  I  contended  with  the  nobles  of  Judah,  and  said 
unto  them,  What  evil  thing  is  this  that  ye  do,  and 
profane  the  Sabbath-day?  Did  not  your  fathers 
thus,  a) id  did  not  our  God  bring  all  this  evil  upon 
us,  and  upon  this  city  1  Yet  ye  bring  more  wrath 
upon  Israel  by  profanmg  the  Sabbath. 

There  are  some  duties  which  cannot  be  per- 
formed without  self-denial,  or  the  loss  of  some 
temporal  advantage  :  there  are  others  which  are 
so  manifestly  beneficial  to  us,  even  at  present, 
that  it  would  seem  a  matter  of  no  difficulty  to 
comply  with  them.  Of  this  kind  is  the  duty  of 
observing  the  Lord's  Day;  a  duty  which,  whether 
we  consider  its  beneficial  tendency  in  a  civil  or 
religious  light,  claims  our  peculiar  attention. 


ON  THE  BENEFIT  OF  THE  SABBATH.  455 

I  propose  to  consider  the  appointment  of  the 
Sabbath  in  four  different  points  of  view — as  an 
acceptable  rest  from  the  toils  and  labours  of  life y  as  a 
highly  useful  civil  institution,  as  a  necessary  religious 
ordinance,  and  as  a  sign  between  God  and  man. 

I.  Let  us  consider  it,  first,  as  an  acceptable  rest 
from  the  toils  and  labours  of  life. 

No  benevolent  person  can  look  round  upon  his 
fellow-creatures,  and  behold  so  large  a  propor- 
tion of  them  doomed  to  severe  and  perpetual 
labour,  without  being  deeply  affected  with  their 
state.  '*  Cursed  is  the  ground  for  thy  sake.  In 
sorrow  shalt  thou  eat  of  it  all  the  days  of  thy  life. 
Thorns  also  and  thistles  shall  it  bring  forth  to 
thee.  In  the  sweat  of  thy  brow  shalt  thou  eat 
bread  till  thou  return  unto  the  ground."  Such  is 
the  curse,  and  awfully  it  is  fulfilled.  Too  gene- 
rally do  we  see  our  fellow-creatures  consuming 
their  strength  in  incessant  labour,  and  yet  scarcely 
able  to  procure  the  necessaries  of  life.  Is  it  not, 
then,  a  merciful  dispensation  by  which,  for  one 
day  'in  seven,  the  curse  is  as  it  were  suspended  ; 
by  which  it  is  made  even  the  duty  of  the  labourer 
to  enjoy  rest,  and  cease  from  his  toil  ?  What  can 
be  a  more  gratifying  object  of  contemplation  than 
the  state  of  the  labourer  on  the  hallowed  day  of 
rest  ?  He  rises  not  to  renew  his  usual  toil,  but 
to  recruit  his  exhausted  strength,  to  spend  his 
time  in  the  bosom  of  his  family,  to  sit  down  with 
them,  and  to  enjoy  the  pleasures  of  a  father,  a 
husband,  or  a  son.  He  has  this  day  graciously 
allotted  to  him,  that  he  may  instruct  his  family 
in  their  duty,  animate  them  in  the  discharge  of  it, 


456        ON  THE  BENEFIT  OF  THE  SABBATH. 

teach  them  the  things  which  belong  to  their 
eternal  peace,  and  converse  with  them  about 
that  blessed  world  which  is  to  come.  Cold  are 
the  feelings,  and  cruel  the  heart,  which  could 
deprive  the  poor  man  of  this  his  portion ;  some- 
times, alas !  his  only  portion  of  rest  here. 

Ye,  my  friends,  whose  station  compels  you  to 
labour  throughout  the  week,  hail  the  dawn  of  the 
Sabbath  as  a  day  propitious  to  you.  Bless  God 
for  it,  as  one  of  his  most  gracious  appointments ; 
for  such,  when  properly  employed  according  to 
his  intention,  it  will  be  found.  Receive  it  with 
gratitude  to  God.  And  while  you  enjoy  the 
rest  which  it  affords  you,  let  your  thoughts 
ascend  to  that  merciful  Being,  whose  loving- 
kindness  is  over  all  his  works;  who  doth  not 
willingly  afflict  and  grieve  the  children  of  men, 
but  pities  them  even  as  a  father  his  own  son  who 
serveth  him.  Account  that  man  your  enemy,  not 
your  friend,  who  would  rob  you  of  it,  and  would 
exact  of  you  incessant  labour,  for  which  you 
would  receive  no  greater  compensation  than  at 
present.  Such  would  necessarily  be  the  result, 
if  the  observance  of  the  Sabbath  were  orenerallv 
abolished.  It  is  your  interest,  therefore,  in  a 
more  particular  manner,  to  guard  against  the 
violation  of  this  day,  and  to  avoid  whatever  may 
tend  to  diminish  the  reverence  due  to  it.  But 
this  can  never  be  done  so  effectually  as  by  your 
spending  it  in  those  occupations  for  which  your 
gracious  Father  designed  it.  Let  it  not  be  a  day 
of  idleness  and  sloth,  of  dissipation  and  pleasure, 
but  a  day  of  religious  improvement,  and  of  peace- 
ful enjoyment  of  your  families.    Thus  you  will 


ON  THE  BENEFIT  OF  THE  SABBATH.  457 

reap  the  benefit  which  God  mercifully  designed 
for  you. 

II.  But  I  consider  the  Sabbath,  secondly,  as  a 
cwil  institution, 

I  wish,  my  brethren,  ever  to  impress  upon  your 
minds  and  my  own,  the  important  reflection,  that 
the  good  of  man  and  the  observance  of  God's 
precepts  are  inseparably  connected  with  each 
other.  God  is  the  wise  and  gracious  Father  of 
his  creatures.  He  therefore  ordains  nothing  which 
does  not  originate  in  the  design  of  doing  them 
good,  and  which  does  not  in  the  wisest  manner 
conduce  to  that  end.  Religion  is  designed  to 
be  the  greatest  civil  benefit :  and  thus,  it  is  con- 
stantly found  that  the  most  religious  nation  is  the 
happiest  nation;  that  the  society  which  is  formed 
upon  Christian  principles  is  the  best  and  most 
orderly  society ;  and  the  individual  who  conforms 
with  most  exactness  to  the  precepts  of  the  Go- 
spel, is  the  most  useful  in  his  station  and  the 
most  happy  in  himself. 

The  utility  of  the  Sabbath  depends  upon  its 
being  a  religious  institution.  A  mere  cessation 
from  labour  may  be  an  indulgence ;  and,  as  I  have 
stated,  was  intended  to  be  such  by  its  Author; 
but  the  peculiar  distinction  of  the  Sabbath  is  its 
religious  character.  Now  whatever  benefit  arises 
from  religion  may  be  said  to  arise  from  the 
Sabbath  ;  for  without  the  Sabbath  religion  could 
scarcely  exist.  The  Sabbath  is  the  pillar  which 
supports  the  temple  of  piety.  It  is  the  Sabbath 
which  affords  the  opportunity  of  implanting  right 
principles,  of  correcting  errors,  of  shewing  the 


458       ON  THE  BENEFIT  OF  THE  SABBATH. 

nature  of  sin,  of  explaining  the  duties  we  owe  to 
God  and  the  grounds  and  reasons  of  them,  of 
enlightening  conscience  and  stimulating  it  to  the 
performance  of  its  functions.  Were  it  not  for  the 
appointment  of  the  Sabbath,  and  the  ministry 
connected  with  it,  how  many  are  there  who  would 
have  no  means  of  knowing  even  the  immediate 
and  necessary  duties  which  belong  to  their  station 
in  civil  society !  But  they  repair  to  the  house  of 
God.  There,  neglected  children  are  taught  the 
duty  they  owe  even  to  their  negligent  parents. 
There,  the  wife  learns  the  duty  of  obedience; 
the  husband,  of  affection  and  tenderness.  There, 
the  duty  of  submission  to  government  is  enforced, 
and  at  the  same  time  the  duty  of  rulers  is  pointed 
out.  There,  the  necessity  of  mutual  forbearance 
and  forgiveness  is  inculcated  ;  and  the  duty  of 
every  man  to  renounce  selfishness,  and  to  seek 
the  welfare  of  his  brother  rather  than  his  own,  is 
enjoined.  There  we  are  instructed  in  the  reve- 
rence due  to  the  aged :  and  in  the  kindness  and 
compassion  which  ought  to  be  shewn  to  the  dis- 
tressed and  miserable.  And  there,  above  all,  are 
inculcated  those  evangelical  principles,  and  those 
pure  and  Christian  motives,  which  only  can  be 
efficacious  to  produce  holiness  of  life.  Thus,  as 
far  as  instruction  will  avail,  are  formed  obedient 
subjects,  dutiful  children,  prudent  and  tender 
parents,  kind  and  faithful  husbands,  discreet  and 
loving  wives,  mild  masters  and  faithful  servants, 
affectionate  friends  and  kind  neighbours.  In  a 
word,  what  is  the  obvious  tendency  of  the  Sab- 
bath, but  to  promote  the  good  of  society  ;  to 
persuade  men  to  love  without  dissimulation — to 


ON  THE  BENEFir  OF  THE  SABBATH.  459 

be  kindly  affectionate  one  towards  another,  with 
brotherly  love  ;  in  honour  preferring  one  another 
— not  to  be  slothful  in  business,  but  fervent  in 
spirit,  serving  the  Lord  —  to  distribute  to  the 
necessity  of  saints — to  be  given  to  hospitality — 
to  rejoice  with  them  that  do  rejoice,  and  to  weep 
with  them  that  weep— not  to  mind  high  things, 
but  to  condescend  to  men  of  low  estate — to  re- 
compense to  no  man  evil  for  evil  —  to  provide 
things  honest  in  the  sight  of  all  men — if  it  be 
possible,  to  live  peaceably  with  all  men — not  to 
avenge  themselves,  but  rather  to  give  place  to 
wrath  — to  be  subject  to  the  higher  powers,  know- 
ing that  the  powers  that  be  are  ordained  of  God 
— to  be  subject,  not  only  for  wrath,  but  for  con- 
science sake — to  render  to  all  their  due  ;  tribute 
to  whom  tribute,  custom  to  whom  custom,  fear  to 
whom  fear,  honour  to  whom  honour — to  owe  no 
man  any  thing,  but  to  love  one  another  ?  Behold 
here  the  excellent  tendency  of  the  Sabbath !  How, 
were  it  duly  observed,  would  it  banish  discord, 
and  tumult,  and  envy,  and  pride,  from  the  world, 
and  render  society  a  resemblance  of  the  blessed 
state  of  felicity  above  ! 

But  the  Sabbath  was  appointed  also  for  the 
peculiar  benefit  of  the  afflicted.  To  the  assembly 
in  the  house  of  God  repair  the  mourner  and  the 
distressed ;  those  who  are  sinking  under  the  bur- 
den of  poverty,  of  oppression,  of  despondency,  or 
disease ;  the  destitute  and  the  friendless.  There 
they  are  exhorted  to  bear  their  sufferings  with 
patience,  and  to  look  to  the  Hand  which  corrects 
them,  and  the  end  for  which  they  are  chastened. 
The  balm  of  Christian  consolation  is  poured  into 


460       ON  THE  BENEFIT  OF  THE  SABBATH. 

their  wounds ;  their  sorrows  are  soothed,  and 
turned  into  a  proper  channel ;  and  their  hopes 
directed  towards  that  better  country,  where 
**the  inhabitant  shall  no  more  say,  I  am  sick," 
and  where  sorrow  and  sighing  will  for  ever 
flee  away." 

Such  are  the  beneficial  effects  upon  civil  society 
which  the  Sabbath  is  intended  to  produce.  Within 
those  hallowed  walls  a  bond  of  sacred  union  is 
formed.  Here  meet  together  in  Christian  har- 
mony those  who  else  would  have  no  intercourse 
with  each  other.  Here  they  learn  to  consider 
themselves  as  forming  one  body.  Here  they  par- 
take of  the  same  table,  and  kneel  down  in  holy 
worship  to  one  common  Lord.  Here  they  look 
up  alike  to  one  Father,  unite  in  one  common 
hope,  and  learn  to  love  as  brethren.  And  are 
not  these  designs  great  and  important,  and  suffi- 
cient to  recommend  the  Sabbath  to  every  friend 
of  mankind  ? 

III.  But  these  benefits,  great  as  they  are,  are 
inferior  to  those  which  may  be  derived  from  it 
as  a  religious  ordinance,  calculated  for  the  im- 
provement of  the  soul ;  which  I  now  proceed  to 
consider. 

But  before  I  enter  upon  this  part  of  my  subject, 
allow  me,  my  brethren,  to  call  upon  you  to  col- 
lect your  thoughts.  We  are  about  to  tread  upon 
hallowed  ground.  Our  thoughts  should  be  ele- 
vated in  proportion  to  our  subject.  I  address 
you  now  as  immortal  souls,  sojourning  in  this 
frail  tabernacle  of  the  flesh  only  for  a  few  fleeting 
years,  but  destined,  through  the  grace  of  the  Re- 


ON  THE  BENEFIT  OF  THE  SABBATH.  461 


deemer,  if  you  truly  receive  his  salvation,  to  dwell 
with  him  for  ever  in  glory.  I  call  upon  you,  then, 
to  consider  your  high  original.    You  can  call 
God  your  Father,  for  he  has  created  you :  you 
were  even  the  chief  of  his  works  :  you  were 
formed  by  him  in  his  own  image.    He  gave 
you  the  grant  of  dominion  over  all  his  creatures. 
He  placed  you  in  a  magnificent  habitation.  The 
spacious  earth  was  formed  to  be  your  domain. 
The  sun  and  moon  were  created  to  give  you 
light.    The  plains  around  you  were  furnished 
with  variety  of  good  for  your  subsistence.  The 
rest  of  the  creatures  were  given  into  your  hands 
to  be  tributary  to  you.    You  alone  were  endued 
by  your  Creator  with  an  unlimited  capacity  for 
intelligence ;  with  powers  to  extend  your  know- 
ledge far  beyond  the  limits  of  the  earth  you  tread 
— to  penetrate  into  eternity  ;  to  understand  the 
perfections  of  Him  who  is  the  fountain  of  all 
good  ;  to  pay  obedience  to  his  will  revealed  to 
you  ;  to  render  him  that  tribute  of  honour  and 
veneration  which  can  be  offered  only  by  crea- 
tures of  an  high  order.    Yes  ;  he  formed  you  for 
himself,  to  shew  forth  his  praise :  he  formed  you 
to  live  for  ever  and  ever  in  happiness. 

True  it  is  that  you  are  fallen  from  your  origi- 
nal state  of  glory.  You  have  sunk  into  a  state  of 
degradation  bordering  upon  entire  ruin.  But 
your  heavenly  Father,  pitying  your  misery,  has 
designed  a  plan  to  raise  you  from  it,  and  to  ele- 
vate you  to  a  state  of  infinite  glory.  And  the 
Sabbath  was  appointed  both  as  an  evidence  of 
this  gracious  design,  and  as  a  means  to  promote  it. 

Consider  the  employments  of  man  during  the 


462        ON  THE  BENEFIT  OF  THE  SABBATH. 

six  days.    In  what  is  he  engaged?    Merely  in 
things  relating  to  this  world,  and  to  this  poor 
perishing  body ;  in  ploughing  the  earth  for  food, 
in  tending  the  cattle  of  the  field,  in  hewing  wood 
or  drawing  water,  in  providing  raiment  to  defend 
these  frail  bodies  from  the  coldness  of  the  air,  or 
building  houses  to  shelter  them  from  the  in- 
clemency of  the  weather.    These  employments, 
though  absolutely  necessary,  must  yet  be  con- 
sidered as  degrading,  when  we  contemplate  the 
immortal  nature  of  man,  and  his  high  birthright. 
But  look  at  man  on  the  Sabbath.    There  you 
perceive  the  child  of  God,  the  heir  of  immor- 
tality!    You  behold  him  in  the  temple  of  his 
God,  employed  in  a  noble  work  —  a  work  in 
which  there  is  nothing  mean,  nothing  sordid  —  a 
work  in  which  angels  themselves  are  employed. 
He  is  worshipping  his  heavenly  Father  :  he  is 
employing  his  faculties  in  a  manner  worthy  of 
their  original  constitution  :  —  his  affections  are 
fixed  upon  things  spiritual  and  eternal; — his  soul 
converses  with  God ; — his  thoughts  launch  out 
beyond  the  confined  bounds  of  sense  and  time, 
and  expatiate  in  eternity ; — his  ears  are  listening 
to  the  word  of  God,  and  to  the  discovery  of  his 
will;— his  tongue  is  speaking  the  high  praises 
of  God,  or  addressing  him  in  supplication  and 
prayer ;  —  his  eyes  are  lifted  up  to  Him,  who 
is  the  Father  of  lights  and  the  God  of  the  spirits 
of  all  flesh.    Behold  here  the  proper  employ- 
ment of  the  Sabbath,  and  see  how  it  dignifies 
and  exalts  man ! 

During  the  six  days,  the  object  of  our  labour 
is  to  provide  for  the  body — for  the  body,  the  in- 


ON  THE  BENEFIT  OF  THE  SABBATH.  463 

ferior  part  of  the  man,  often  his  disease  and  tor- 
ment, always  the  vehicle  of  low  and  sensual 
affections,  and  the  clog  and  incumbrance  of  the 
soul  ;—the  body,  that  soon  is  to  turn  to  corrup- 
tion, and  become  the  food  of  worms  ;  which, 
notwithstanding  incessant  pains,  can  scarcely  be 
kept  in  a  state  of  tolerable  health  even  for  the 
few  days  of  our  sojourning  here.  But  on  the 
seventh  day  we  direct  our  attention  to  the  nobler 
part,  the  soul :  we  are  engaged  in  promoting  its 
moral  improvement,  in  cultivating  its  transcend- 
ent powers,  in  labouring  that  it  may  be  restored 
to  the  image  of  God. 

During  the  six  days,  we  are  engaged  in  the 
petty  concerns  of  this  transitory  life.  I  call  them 
petty,  because  the  life  to  which  they  relate  is  so 
very  short  and  uncertain.  It  is  but  a  span.  For 
what  are  eighty,  or  a  hundred  years,  compared 
with  millions  of  ages  ?  The  proper  life  of  man  is 
his  eternal  life.  Here,  he  is  in  his  infancy,  in  his 
cradle. — But  on  the  seventh  day  we  lay  aside 
our  trifles ;  our  occupations  are  those  which 
respect  the  life  to  come;  which  have  an  influence 
upon  our  future,  our  eternal  state.  Our  occu- 
pations on  this  day  tend  to  prepare  us  for  that 
state,  teach  us  to  value  it,  induce  us  to  act  as 
those  who  are  in  expectation  of  it.  Then  we 
live.  Every  other  employment,  however  splen- 
did, is  but  the  play  of  children — on  the  seventh 
day  we  become  men. 

During  the  six  days,  what  aff'ecting  scenes 
present  themselves  to  us,  arising  from  our  occu- 
pation and  intercourse  with  our  fellow-creatures! 
To  what  care  and  toil,  and  disappointment,  and 


464       ON  THE  BENEFIT  OF  THE  SABByVTH. 

bitter  anxieties  are  we  subject !  But  on  the 
seventh  blessed  day,  our  work  is  such  as  sooths 
our  sorrows,  and  diffuses  a  holy  tranquillity 
through  the  mind.  In  the  proper  occupations 
of  that  day,  we  meet  with  nothing  to  harass  and 
vex  the  mind.  The  prospect  before  us  is  bright 
and  serene— even  an  eternal  day  without  a  cloud ! 
The  objects  of  our  contemplation  on  that  day  are 
truth,  holiness,  benevolence,  justice,  mercy.  At 
the  end  of  this  waste  and  howling  wilderness, 
through  which  we  now  travel  with  weary  steps, 
we  behold  the  brightness  of  a  region  of  unruffled 
tranquillity  and  glory.  We  behold,  and  the  fair 
prospect  tranquillizes  our  minds :  we  turn  from 
scenes  of  vanity  and  vexation.  In  this  house, 
the  wicked  cease  from  troubling,  and  the  weary 
are  at  rest. 

During  the  six  days,  we  are  engaged  in  occu- 
pations which  necessarily  present  scenes  of  temp- 
tation and  defilement.  We  are  connected  with 
sinful  men.  We  see  them  selfish  and  unjust,  and 
we  are  tempted  to  be  selfish  and  unjust  ourselves. 
But  on  the  blessed  day  of  rest  we  converse  not 
with  man,  but  with  God ;  with  Him  who  is 
purity  and  holiness.  His  fair  and  spotless  image 
is  before  our  eyes  :  we  contemplate  his  glorious 
attributes  ;  we  throw  ourselves  upon  his  mercy ; 
we  embrace  his  holy  covenant ;  we  perceive  the 
beauty  of  holiness ;  we  call  upon  our  God  for 
grace  and  assistance  ;  and  thus  our  hearts  are 
strengthened  against  the  attacks  of  temptation, 
and  our  souls  purified  by  our  occupations. 

During  the  six  days,  though  we  feel  and  lament 
the  disease  of  our  corrupt  nature,  there  is  nothing 


ON  THE  BENEFIT  OF  THE  SABBATH.  465 

in  our  regular  employments  to  remedy  it.  But 
the  seventh  day  is  truly  the  day  of  healing,  and 
the  day  of  restoration.  On  that  day  we  hear  the 
glad  tidings  of  a  Saviour's  work,  and  meet  him 
in  his  own  house,  and  at  his  own  table.  The 
good  Physician  there  administers  his  precious 
remedies  to  our  souls.  Blessed  day !  dearer  than 
light  to  our  eyes,  dearer  than  life  to  our  souls, 
should  be  thy  auspicious  dawn  :  for  thou  art  the 
Lord's  Day.  Thou  dost  introduce  us  to  the  pre- 
sence and  worship  of  our  Redeemer.  By  thee 
we  are  shewn  the  benefit  of  his  death  and  re- 
surrection, the  value  of  his  intercession,  and  the 
extent  of  his  love.  Thou  art  the  resemblance 
and  fortaste  of  that  eternal  Sabbath  above,  where 
the  Redeemer  reigns  with  his  glorified  servants 
in  eternal  bliss. 

IV.  There  is  still  another  light  in  which  the 
Sabbath  remains  to  be  considered — as  a  sign  be- 
txveen  God  and  man.  Thus  it  is  stated  by  the 
Almighty  himself :  "  I  gave  them  my  Sabbaths, 
to  be  a  sign  between  me  and  man." 

It  is  a  sign  on  the  part  of  God  ;  — a  most  plain 
and  illustrious  sign  of  his  willingness  to  receive 
and  to  bless  mankind.  The  devils,  who  have 
irrecoverably  lost  the  favour  of  God,  have  no 
such  sign  held  out  to  them  of  his  readiness  to 
save  them.  The  appointment  of  the  Sabbath  is, 
as  it  were,  God's  pitching  his  tabernacle  among 
mea — a  sign  that  he  will  accept  our  worship,  that 
the  Throne  of  Grace  is  prepared  for  our  prayers, 
and  that  the  way  to  heaven  stands  open  to  all. 

VOL.  II.  2  H 


466       ON  THE  BENEFIT  OF  THE  SABBATH. 

But  it  is  a  sign  also  on  the  part  of  man ; — a  sign 
that  is,  of  his  obedience  to  God.  In  this  respect, 
it  operates  as  a  test  whether  man  will  be  obedient 
to  God,  or  not.  For  so  connected  is  the  due 
observance  of  the  Sabbath  with  every  part  of 
religious  worship  and  practice,  that  it  may  be 
justly  considered  as  the  representative  of  the 
whole.  And  this  is  particularly  the  case  with 
respect  to  nations.  It  is  not  easy  to  ascertain 
what  sins  are  committed  in  private,  and  in  fami- 
lies ;  but  the  Sabbath  is  the  day  when  the  whole 
nation  openly  makes  profession  of  its  faith,  and 
gives  a  proof  of  its  obedience  to  God.  Now  it  is 
true  that  the  sign  may  subsist  without  the  thing  sig- 
nified :  but  if  the  sign  is  gone,  if  the  form  is  aban- 
doned, it  is  a  very  plain  inference  that  the  spirit 
must  be  gone  also  ;  that  the  nation  has,  as  it  were, 
shut  the  door  of  God's  house,  refusing  to  enter 
therein. 

This  view  of  the  Sabbath,  as  a  sign  of  our  obe- 
dience to  God,  casts  a  high  degree  of  importance 
upon  the  due  observance  of  it.  Indeed,  it  is  the 
most  melancholy  spectacle  which  can  be  exhi- 
bited to  a  Christian  mind,  to  see  a  man  wilfully 
renounce  the  religious  observance  of  the  Sabbath. 
It  is,  in  effect,  the  renunciation  of  his  allegiance 
to  God.  It  is,  as  it  were,  a  public  declaration, 
that  he  will  not  seek  the  mercy  and  grace  of  God  ; 
that  he  will  not  spare  any  part  of  his  time,  or 
sacrifice  any  portion  of  his  pursuits  and  pleasures, 
in  order  to  please  God  and  to  fulfill  his  will. 
With  what  awful  propriety  will  it  be  said  to  such 
a  person  atthe  last  day ;    My  Sabbath  was  a  sign 


ON  THE  BENEFIT  OF  THE  SABBATH.  467 

to  thee  of  my  readiness  to  bless  and  save  thee ; 
and  thy  continued  disregard  of  it  was  a  sign  of 
thy  contempt  of  me,  and  of  my  salvation  ! " 

Permit  me  now  to  address  this  subject  to  your 
attentive  consideration. 

I  call  upon  you  all,  my  brethren,  seriously  to 
meditate  on  this  great  and  important  duty.  Re- 
member, the  Sabbath  is  a  sign  on  your  part,  and 
on  God's.  If  the  Sabbath  is  dishonoured  and  pro- 
faned, all  the  bulwarks  of  religion  will  be  broken 
down ;  and  infidelity  and  immorality  will  come  in 
like  a  flood,  and  deluge  the  land  to  its  utter  de- 
struction. If  you  have  any  regard  to  the  welfare 
of  the  rising  generation  of  your  children — if  you 
would  wish  them  to  be  blessed  in  the  favour  of 
God — inculcate  upon  them  a  reverence  for  the 
Sabbath,  and  in  your  own  persons  set  them  an 
example  of  it.  If  you  have  any  regard  to  the 
honour  of  God— any  just  fear  of  the  awful  day  of 
judgment,  when  you  must  give  an  account  to 
him  of  what  you  have  done  in  the  body — honour 
the  Sabbath,  and  observe  it  as  a  day  set  apart  for 
the  glory  of  God  and  the  good  of  your  soul.  It 
is  a  duty  incumbent  on  man,  in  all  orders  and 
ranks  of  society. 

You  that  are  masters  of  families  must  set  the 
example  to  your  dependants:  you  must  shew  that 
you  spend  not  the  day  in  idleness,  or  in  secular 
concerns,  or  in  unprofitable  visiting  and  feasting, 
but  as  a  day  in  which  you  seek  to  honour  and 
serve  God.  An  awful  responsibility  lies  upon  you 
for  the  souls  of  your  children  and  domestics :  let 
them  not  be  able  to  charge  you  with  having  set 

2  H  2 


468       ON  THE  BENEFIT  OF  THE  SABBATH. 

them  a  bad  example,  with  having  employed  them 
unnecessarily  in  temporal  affairs,  with  having 
prevented  their  worshipping  God.  Be  clear  of 
the  blood  of  all  men :  be  able  to  say  before  God, 
with  respect  to  all  that  have  been  dependant  on 
you,  **  I  call  them  to  witness  that  I  was  willing 
to  suffer  any  inconvenience,  that  they  might  have 
the  opportunity  of  worshipping  God."  But  you 
must  go  farther.  You  must  press  upon  them  their 
duty ;  you  must  instruct  them  in  it ;  you  must 
remonstrate  with  them  if  they  neglect  it;  in  a 
word,  you  must  labour  to  impress  them  with  a 
conviction  that  there  can  be  no  hope  of  the  bless- 
ing of  God  but  in  the  conscientious  observance  of 
the  Sabbath.  You  must  also  be  ready  to  make 
sacrifices  for  this  purpose.  You  must  be  willing 
to  renounce  a  part  of  your  gains,  should  it  be 
necessary,  rather  than  violate  your  conscience, 
and  transgress  the  commandment  of  God,  by 
breaking  the  Sabbath.  It  is  a  test  whether  you 
prefer  spiritual  blessings  to  temporal  advantage ; 
whether  you  value  your  souls  more  than  your 
bodies,  or  would  please  God  rather  than  man.  In 
a  word,  let  us  all  bear  in  mind,  that  in  a  very  few 
years  at  the  most,  we  shall  lie  upon  a  death-bed, 
and  then  the  guilt  of  neglected  Sabbaths  will  press 
as  a  heavy  burden  upon  our  souls.  But  may  God 
grant  that  we  so  improve  the  Sabbaths  below,  that 
they  may  prepare  us  for  an  eternal  Sabbath  above ! 


469 


SERMON  XXXL 

ON  SOUNDNESS  OF  MIND  IN  RELIGION. 
2  TIMOTHY  vii.  1. 

For  God  hath  given  us  the  spirit..,. of  a  sound  mind. 

The  expression,  sobriety,  or  soundness  of  mind, 
is  used  in  the  Scriptures  in  various  senses.  Some- 
times it  is  opposed  to  madness  ;  as  where  the 
demoniac  was  found  sitting  at  the  feet  of  Jesus, 
clothed  and  in  his  right  mind.  Madness  disposes 
men  to  act  irregularly,  furiously,  and  extrava- 
gantly. Soundness  of  mind,  therefore,  implies  re- 
collection, calmness,  and  discretion ;  the  guidance 
and  controul  of  reason  ;  a  disposition  to  examine 
coolly,  to  weigh  impartially,  and  to  determine 
according  to  the  sober  dictates  of  reflection,  ra- 
ther than  by  caprice  or  passion.  In  other  places, 
soundness  of  mind  is  opposed  to  levity  and  im- 
propriety, as  where  women  are  required  to  adorn 
themselves  in  modest  apparel,  with  sobriety  ;  or 
to  intemperance  and  sensuality,  as  where  young 
men  are  exhorted  to  be  sober  minded,  and,  deny- 
ing ungodliness  and  worldly  lusts,  to  live  soberly. 
Sometimes  it  is  contrasted  with  pride  and  self- 
conceit  :  thus  the  Apostle  forbids  the  Romans  to 
think  extravagantly  of  themselves,  instead  of 
thinking  soberly,  as  they  ought  to  do.    In  my 


470 


ON  SOUNDNESS  OF  MIND 


text,  the  same  expression  is  used  in  a  more 
general  and  comprehensive  sense.  St.  Paul  is 
exhorting  Timothy  to  stir  up  the  gift  of  God 
which  was  in  him  by  the  imposition  of  the  Apo- 
stles' hands that  is,  to  make  full  proof  of  his 
ministry,  to  use  the  spiritual  powers  entrusted  to 
him, — to  reprove,  rebuke,  and  exhort  with  all 
long-suffering,  not  fearing  the  face  of  man;  "  for 
God  hath  not  given  us  the  spirit  of  fear,  but  of 
power,"  to  enforce  our  injunctions,  and  to  con- 
troul  and  punish  the  unruly;  and  of  love,"  to 
use  our  power  for  the  good  of  mankind ;  and  of 
a  sound  mind:''  we  are  well  convinced  of  the 
truth  of  the  doctrines  we  deliver,  and  of  the 
propriety  of  the  discipline  we  exercise ;  we  are 
assured  that  we  speak  and  act  according  to  the 
will  of  God :  ours  is  not  an  unfounded  or  foolish 
doctrine;  it  is  not  the  raving  of  enthusiasm,  nor 
a  flight  of  fancy ;  we  know  what  we  speak,  and 
declare  the  words  of  truth  and  soberness. 

The  state  of  mind  thus  described  may  there- 
fore be  considered  as  opposed  to  credulity/,  to 
superstition,  to  enthusiasm,  to  scepticism,  and  to 
religious  indifference.  All  these  are  proofs  of  a 
want  of  soundness  or  sobriety  of  mind. — The 
general  characteristic  of  all  unsoundness  of  mind 
may  be  said  to  be  false  perceptions.  He  whose 
mind  is  in  this  state  dares  not  see  things  as  they 
really  are  :  they  appear  to  him  extravagantly 
magnified  or  diminished,  distorted,  or  confounded 
with  different  objects.  As  the  eye  clouded  by 
disease  does  not  distinctly  see  the  material  ob- 
jects presented  to  it,  but  confounds  them  with 
dissimilar  things,  or  views  them'  in  an  unnatural 


IN  RELIGION. 


471 


or  distorted  attitude  ;  so  the  mind  affected  with 
this  disorder  mistakes  what  it  perceives,  and  does 
not  distinguish  the  real  nature,  rank,  and  value 
of  the  objects  to  which  its  attention  is  turned.  A 
sound  mind,  on  the  contrary,  forms  a  just  view  of 
the  subjects  presented  to  it:  it  estimates  correctly 
the  relative  value  and  importance  of  different  sub- 
jects, and  is  not  governed  by  prejudice,  caprice, 
or  idle  imaginations. 

Having  thus  attempted  to  ascertain  the  mean- 
ing of  the  Apostle's  expression,  I  shall  proceed 
to  consider  soundness  of  mind  in  religion  in  the 
sense  in  which  I  conceive  it  to  be  used  in  the  text. 

I.  Soundness  of  mind  is  opposed  to  credulity.  i 
— Credulity  arises  from  a  misapprehension  of  the 
nature  and  value  of  evidence.    The  credulous 
man  believes  on  insufficient  authority.    He  does 
not  perceive  the  proportion  which  different  kinds 
of  evidence  bear  to  each  other.    He  is  therefore 
apt  to  adopt,  with  equal  confidence,  opinions 
resting  upon  slight  grounds  and  those  which  are 
built  on  the  surest  foundations.  Hence  the  belief 
of  lying  miracles,  absurd  legends,  and  pretended 
visions  prevailed  for  a  long  period  in  the  church, 
to  the  disgust  of  every  man  of  sound  sense,  en- 
dangering the  credit  of  even  the  real  miracles  by 
which  Christianity  was  first  established.  The  pre- 
sent age  is  indeed  more  enlightened,  and  these 
idle  tales  are  no  longer  credited  ;  but  the  prin- 
ciple which  caused  them  to  be  believed  still  re- 
mains.   That  principle  is  an  undue  value  of  the 
authority  of  man.    How  many  in  the  church  at 
this  day  receive  the  doctrines  of  Christianity,  not 


472 


OK  SOUNDNESS  OF  MIND 


on  account  of  the  evidence  by  which  they  are 
supported,  nor  because  they  are  plainly  delivered 
in  Scripture,  but  because  this  or  that  particular 
man  has  held  them  !  This  evil  is  of  wide  extent : 
it  prevails  over  the  far  greater  part  of  the  Chris- 
tian church.  All  range  themselves  under  the 
standard  of  some  particular  leader:  I  am  of 
Paul,"  saith  one  ;  I  of  Apollos,"  another. — A 
still  larger  class,  influenced  by  the  very  same 
principle,  though  exerting  itself  in  a  different 
direction,  adopts,  upon  the  authority  of  men,  a 
course  of  conduct  and  a  system  of  doctrine  di- 
rectly opposed  to  the  plain  dictates  of  the  Apo- 
stles. One  man  will  believe  only  as  his  fathers  before 
him  have  done;  another  will  act  just  as  the  world 
around  him  is  acting.  Why  should  he  presume 
to  be  more  religious  than  the  rest  of  mankind  ? 
Thus  error  and  irreligion  are  upheld,  and  continue 
their  empire  in  the  world. — The  true  remedy  for 
this  evil  is  to  attend  distinctly  to  the  very  differ- 
ent value  of  divine  and  of  human  authority.  A 
man  of  sound  mind  will  not  indeed  despise  human 
authority,  and,  in  the  spirit  of  innovation,  doubt 
a  tenet  because  it  has  been  generally  maintained; 
but  he  will  be  very  careful  to  found  his  faith 
upon  the  truth  of  Scripture,  rather  than  upon  the 
opinions  of  men.  He  will  be  deeply  sensible  of 
the  importance  of  that  principle,  Call  no  man 
master  : "  he  will  give  due  weight  to  the  lament- 
able proofs  of  human  fallibility  which  have  in  all 
ages  been  exhibited  to  the  world  :  he  will  see 
particular  churches  erring  and  contradicting  each 
other,  whole  councils  of  men  opposing  the  truth 
and  sanctioning  error.  He  will  reflect,  that  every 


IN  RELIGION. 


473 


tenet,  the  most  absurd,  has  in  some  ages  or  places 
been  maintained ;  that  there  is  no  conduct,  how- 
ever palpably  wrong,  which  some  eminent  men 
have  not  sanctioned.  The  external  history  of  the 
Christian  church  has  been  the  history  of  follies,  or 
of  errors  the  most  serious  and  the  most  absurd, 
and  of  crimes  perpetrated  under  the  name  of  Re- 
ligion. Never  did  a  bold  and  confident  innovator 
arise  who  did  not  find  some  person  to  revere  him 
as  an  oracle  of  truth,  and  to  receive  all  his  extra- 
vagant positions.  Deeply  affected  by  this  review, 
a  man  of  sound  mind  will  beware  of  attaching  too 
much  credit  to  any  man,  or  to  any  sect  or  party ; 
he  will  not  believe  every  boasting  pretender,  but 
will  take  into  his  hands  the  sacred  volume  of  re- 
vealed truth,  and  be  guided  entirely  by  the  clear 
and  express  declaration  of  the  Apostles  and  Pro- 
phets :  Here,"  will  he  say,  **  I  can  find  what  I 
seek  for  in  vain  elswhere ;  truth,  unmixed  with 
error,  clearly  revealed  and  established  on  in- 
disputable evidence.  Gladly  will  I  rest  on  the 
authority  of  Christ,  as  my  faithful  Guide  to  direct 
me  through  this  world  of  darkness  and  uncer- 
tainty :  as  my  gracious  Saviour  from  guilt  and 
sin,  to  whom  I  am  under  obligations  which  can 
never,  even  through  eternity,  be  repaid  ;  who 
came  from  heaven  to  redeem  me,  who  died  for 
my  sins,  and  who  now  is  risen  to  make  interces- 
sion for  me.  His  word  is  truth ;  he  is  the  light  of 
the  world  ;  and  I  will  implicitly  rely  on  all  that 
he  or  his  inspired  Apostles  have  declared,  re- 
specting the  doctrines  I  ought  to  believe,  and  the 
course  of  life  I  ought  to  pursue." 


474 


ON  SOUNDNESS  OF  MIND 


II.  Soundness  of  mind  is  opposed  to  super- 
stition, —  A  person  in  the  dark  sees  nothing  dis- 
tinctly, and  is  therefore  very  apt  to  form  con- 
fused and  erroneous  ideas  of  every  object  around 
him ;  his  imagination  giving  to  them  what  form 
and  colour  it  pleases.    Such  is  the  situation  of  a 
superstitious  man  with  respect  to  all  objects  of  a 
spiritual  or  religious  kind  :  he  sees  nothing  in  its 
proper  form  and  proportion.    He  fears  he  knows 
not  what,  and  trembles  at  imaginary  dangers  ; 
his  reason  bends  under  the  force  of  his  imagina- 
tion. An  illustration  of  this  unsoundness  of  mind 
may  be  given  in  the  belief  which  once  prevailed 
of  the  influence  of  the  stars  on  the  fortunes  of 
men,  or  in  the  belief  of  omens,  and  the  unneces- 
sary appearance  on  earth  of  spiritual  beings.  But 
a  far  more  frequent  and  dangerous  superstition  is 
that  which  lays  an  undue  stress  on  mere  external 
religious  observances.  The  whole  religion  of  the 
heathen  consisted  of  rites  and  ceremonies,  which 
had  no  connection  with  virtue  or  morality,  but 
were  imagined,  they  knew  not  how  or  why,  to  pro- 
pitiate the  Deity.    It  were  well  had  such  super- 
stitions been  confined  to  them ;  but,  alas  !  in  the 
Christian  church  a  similar  unreasonable  value  of 
mere  ceremonies  has  been  one  of  the  most  dan- 
gerous sources  of  error.    A  man,  therefore,  of  a 
sound  mind,  while  he  attributes  to  forms  and 
ceremonies  their  true  value,  will  not  substitute 
them  for  more  substantial  good.    He  will  regard 
them  as  eminently  useful  in  their  proper  place, 
as  conducive  to  important  ends,  which  they  have 
a  manifest  tendency  to  promote  :  he  will  consider, 
also,  how  far  they  have  been  actually  enjoined 


IN  RELEGION. 


475 


by  our  blessed  Lord,  and  how  far  they  have  been 
invented  by  men,  and  will  proportion  his  respect 
for  them  accordingly.  He  will  manifest  the  sound- 
ness of  his  mind  by  preferring  the  substance  to 
the  form,  and  by  endeavouring  to  possess  the  spirit 
of  religion,  rather  than  the  mere  shadow  of  it. — 
Would  to  God  that  this  rule  of  sound  reason  had 
been  more  generally  observed  !  We  should  not, 
then,  have  had  to  lament  those  fierce  contentions 
which  have  agitated  the  Christian  church.  We 
should  not  have  seen  one  party  unreasonably 
extolling  every  rite  established  by  long  usage, 
and  proclaiming,  "  The  temple  of  the  Lord,  the 
temple  of  the  Lord,  are  these  ; "  and  another  party, 
with  equal  unreasonableness  and  narrowness  of 
mind,  attributing  an  excessive  importance  to  ce- 
remonies, as  though  the  observance  of  them  were 
idolatry,  and  preferring  rather  to  break  the  peace 
and  unity  of  the  church,  and  to  introduce  a  spirit 
of  schism,  than  to  conform  even  in  things  indif- 
ferent. When  will  men  learn  to  reason  soundly? 
When  will  they  learn  rightly  to  esteem  the 
weightier  matters  of  the  law,  justice,  and  mercy, 
and  the  love  of  God,  and  obedience  to  his  law, 
and  love  to  man,  and  tender  compassion  to  his 
frailties  ?  When  will  they  perceive,  as  they  ought, 
the  real  importance  of  true  and  substantial  holi- 
ness, which  will  endure  and  flourish  for  millions 
of  ages  after  this  vain  world,  and  all  the  forms  and 
ceremonies  established  in  it,  shall  have  outlived 
their  day  and  be  remembered  no  more!— A  sound 
mind,  therefore,  is  one  which  rightly  esteems 
holiness,  and  those  things  which  are  durable 
and  really  great.    An  unsound  mind  attaches  an 


476 


ON  SOUNDNESS  OF  MIND. 


undue  importance  to  trifles,  to  forms  and  cere- 
monies, to  meats  and  drinks,  to  things  which 
perish  with  the  using. 

III.  Soundness  of  mind  is  opposed  to 
^iflf^w.— Enthusiasm  consists  in  unwarranted  ideas 
of  the  nature  of  the  relation  between  us  and  our 
Creator.  A  man  of  sound  mind  will  cherish  no 
extravagant  notions  of  Divine  communications. 
He  will  consider  his  own  nothingness,  and  will 
form  the  most  lofty  conceptions  of  God,  as  chiefly 
manifesting  his  wisdom  by  the  general  rules  ac- 
cording to  which  he  directs  his  administration. 
An  enthusiast,  on  the  contrary,  entertains  lofty 
notions  of  himself,  and  degrading  conceptions  of 
the  Deity:  he  conceives  that  the  course  of  nature 
is  to  be  regulated  with  a  view  to  his  interest.  The 
sun  shines,  or  the  rains  descends,  according  to  his 
occasions.  Is  he  in  want  ?  God,  at  once  and  in 
some  remarkable  manner,  sends  him  a  supply.  Is 
he  opposed  ?  The  judgments  of  God  fall  upon  his 
enemies.  Is  he  doubtful  on  any  question  ?  The 
Spirit  of  God  reveals  it  to  him.  Is  he  disposed  to 
act  in  any  extraordinary  manner  ?  The  ordinary 
rules,  even  of  morality,  must  yield  to  his  conve- 
nience. He  and  his  immediate  connections  have 
a  peculiar  dispensation :  they  are  the  particular 
favourites  of  God ;  and  all  things  are  to  minister 
to  their  exclusive  good. 

To  guard  against  this  dangerous  error,  some 
rules  may  be  proposed  which  are  consistent  with 
sound  reason  and  Scripture. 

First.  Let  a  man  be  humble  :  let  him  think  of 
himself,  asheoughttothink,  soberly,  and  modestly, 


IN  RELIGION. 


477 


as  a  poor  sinful  creature,  very  ignorant,  and  very- 
liable  to  be  deluded :  let  him  consider  it  as  an 
unspeakable  favour  to  receive  from  God  the 
pardon  of  his  sins :  let  him  remember,  that  it  is 
the  whole  plan  of  God's  dispensations  to  humble 
man,  and  to  abase  the  proud.  No  sin  is  more 
rebuked  in  Scripture  than  pride :  nor  is  there  any 
species  of  pride  more  criminal  than  spiritual  pride. 
A  man  of  sound  mind  will  form  a  due  estimate  of 
his  great  unworthiness  and  meanness.  What  are 
we  in  the  scale  of  God's  creatures  ?  What  is  this 
life  ;  what  the  human  understanding  ?  What  has 
been  our  conduct,  but  foolish  and  abominable  ? 
Shall  man,  then,  be  proud,  and  think  highly  of 
himself?  What  can  be  more  odious  in  the  sight  of 
God;  what  less  becoming  a  sinful  creature,  a  rebel 
against  God's  authority,  a  bond  slave  and  servant 
of  sin,  who  should  walk  humbly  all  his  days  in 
the  deepest  abasement  and  contrition  of  heart  ? 

Secondly.  Let  us  learn  to  expect  nothing  out 
of  the  ordinary  course  of  God's  dispensations. — 
God  has  given  a  revelation  to  man,  founded  upon 
the  strongest  evidence,  and  expressed  in  the 
clearest  terms  ;  and  it  is  presumption  to  expect 
another.  In  the  Gospel,  we  find  an  explanation 
of  the  course  by  which  God  usually  communi- 
cates grace  and  salvation  to  mankind.  There 
we  learn,  that  these  blessings  are  conveyed 
by  faith  in  the  Redeemer,  accompanied  with  an 
unfeigned  repentance  for  sin  and  by  universal 
holiness  of  life.  A  man  of  a  sound  mind  will  be 
content  with  this,  and  will  seek  no  other  way  of 
salvation.  He  will  not  look  for  visions,  or  voices, 
or  impulses,  to  point  out  to  him  something  new : 


478 


ON  SOUNDNESS  OF  MIND. 


he  will  not  follow  every  new  teacher,  saying, 
Who  shall  ascend  up  to  heaven,  to  bring  down 
Christ  from  thence  ?  or  who  shall  sink  into  the 
deep,  to  bring  up  Christ  from  thence  ?  but  he 
will  be  satisfied  with  the  word  which  is  nigh  to 
him,  even  in  his  mouth  and  in  his  heart ;  even  the 
word  of  faith  revealed  in  Scripture,  that  if  he 
shall  confess  with  his  mouth  the  Lord  Jesus,  and 
shall  believe  in  his  heart  that  God  hath  raised 
him  from  the  dead,  he  shall  be  saved." 

Thirdly.  Let  it  be  remembered,  that  true  reli- 
gion is  not  a  mystery  hard  to  be  discovered,  and 
which  can  be  known  only  to  a  few  ;  but  that  it  was 
intended  to  be  made  so  plain,  that  the  wayfaring 
man  might  read,  and  the  poor  understand  it.  Our 
blessed  Lord  was  remarkably  plain  and  simple  in 
his  discourses,  suiting  them  to  the  lowest  capacity, 
and  evidently  intending  that  all  who  possessed  a 
meek  and  humble  mind  should  understand  them. 
Consider  that  true  religion  is  not  a  novelty  lately 
discovered,  nor  a  mystery  which  is  scarcely  yet 
understood;  but  that,  for  1800  years,  it  has  been 
fully  known  and  practised, — that  even  in  the  dark- 
est ages,  and  the  most  corrupt  churches,  there 
have  been  true  disciples  of  Christ,  who  always 
considered  the  kingdom  of  God  as  consisting,  not 
in  meats  and  drinks,  but  in  righteousness,  and 
peace,  and  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost,— that  the  great 
difficulty  has  ever  been,  not  the  want  of  know- 
ledge, but  the  want  of  will  to  subdue  our  corrupt 
nature,  to  lead  a  holy  life,  and  to  walk  humbly 
with  God. 

Fourthly.  We  should  consider  that  the  great 
evidence  of  wisdom  is,  to  choose  proper  objects. 


IN  RELIGION. 


479 


and  to  pursue  them  in  a  lawful  way. — Now  the 
great  end  which  we  ought  to  set  before  us  is  the 
attainment  of  holiness,  such  as  it  is  represented 
in  Scripture,  including  the  duties  we  owe  to  God 
as  our  Maker,  to  Christ  as  our  Redeemer,  to  the 
Holy  Spirit  as  our  Sanctifier,  and  to  men  as  our 
fellow-creatures.  The  more  soundly  a  man  rea- 
sons, the  more  enlarged  will  be  his  views  of  holi- 
ness. It  is  the  mark  of  an  enthusiastic  mind  to 
adopt  partial  views  ;  to  undervalue,  for  example, 
our  duty  to  God,  in  comparison  with  what  we 
owe  to  man ;  or  to  think  little  of  the  regulation  of 
our  tempers,  and  our  social  conduct,  while  we 
esteem  highly  the  obligation  of  love  to  God,  and 
of  faith  in  his  promises  and  word.  I  know  no 
mark  of  a  sound  mind  more  unequivocal  than 
the  just  and  comprehensive  view  which  it  takes  of 
the  whole  circle  of  duties  ;  rejecting  none,  unduly 
preferring  none,  not  esteeming  the  performance 
of  any  a  compensation  for  the  breach  of  others. 
In  our  views  of  religion,  then,  let  not  our  frames 
or  feelings,  our  imagined  privileges,  our  views  of 
doctrine,  or  even  our  devotions,  be  our  guide  in 
determining  our  state  ;  but  let  us  survey  the 
whole  of  our  conduct,  and  examine  how  far  it 
accords  with  the  tenor  of  Scripture.  In  this  way 
we  cannot  err :  this  will  prevent  our  overvaluing 
those  marks  and  evidences,  at  best  of  a  dubious 
kind,  on  which  the  enthusiast  is  disposed  to  rely. 

The  last  means  I  shall  notice,  by  which  a  sound 
mind  will  preserve  us  from  enthusiasm,  is,  by  its 
leading  us  to  a  just  interpretation  of  Scripture. — 
Almost  all  religious  errors  are  supported  by  false 
interpretations  of  the  Bible ;  and  hence  it  is  vain 


480 


ON  SOUNDNESS  OF  MIND 


to  pretend  to  detect  errors,  till  there  is  an  agree- 
ment upon  the  mode  in  which  Scripture  is  to  be 
understood.  Now  a  sound  mind  will  be  evident, 
in  avoiding  every  fanciful,  strained,  or  mystical 
interpretation :  and  in  receiving  the  plain,  natural, 
and  obvious  sense  of  the  words.  In  the  appli- 
cation of  Scripture,  its  exact  meaning,  as  it  was 
intended  by  the  sacred  writers  with  reference  to 
the  cases  before  them,  will  be  first  carefully  de- 
fined ;  and  it  will  then  be  considered  how  far  the 
language  of  Scripture  is  applicable  to  ourselves, 
under  our  own  circumstances.— A  man  of  a  sound 
mind  will  farther  be  careful  to  interpret  Scripture 
according  to  the  analogy  of  faith;  comparing  one 
part  with  another,  and  rather  making  a  passage 
of  doubtful  meaning  bend  to  the  rest  of  Holy 
Writ,  than  straining  the  whole  word  of  God  to 
accommodate  it  to  one  ambiguous  or  insulated 
text.  He  will  also  judge  by  the  context,  rather 
than  by  the  letter  ;  for  the  outline  and  scope  of 
the  sacred  writer  may  be  clear,  where  a  par- 
ticular expression  is  obscure :  the  general  mean- 
ing, therefore,  should  become  the  guide  by  which 
doubtful  expressions  may  be  understood.  He  will 
also  be  peculiarly  careful  to  mark  such  passages 
as  appear  to  contradict  any  part  of  his  system, 
not  with  a  view  of  bending  them  to  it,  but  of 
correcting  his  system  by  them.  Perhaps  there 
is  no  rule  of  greater  importance  than  this  in  the 
investigation  of  truth.  It  is  hopeless  to  attempt 
to  convince  him  who  reads  only  to  strengthen 
his  errors  ;  who  dwells  only  on  such  passages  as 
seem  to  favour  his  peculiar  notions. — I  must  repeat, 
that  those  Scriptures  which  appear  to  contradict 


IN  RELIGION. 


481 


our  views,  are  to  us  the  most  important  passages 
of  Scripture.  They  should  particularly  engage 
our  attention,  because  they  prove  that  our  views 
are  not  yet  entirely  those  of  the  sacred  writers : 
if  they  were,  every  expression  used  by  them 
would  be  adopted  with  equal  readiness  by  us. 

IV.  Soundness  of  mind  is  opposed  to  scepti- 
cism or  infidelity.— I  am  well  aware  that  infidels 
arrogate  to  themselves  the  distinction  of  being 
the  only  sound  reasoners,  and  charge  believers 
with  credulity  and  superficial  views.  But  the 
charge  may  justly  be  retorted  on  themselves : 
they  do  not  possess  a  sound  mind  ;  for  the  body 
of  evidence  by  which  Christianity  is  established, 
is  incomparably  superior  to  that  by  which  any 
historical  fact,  or  any  other  tenets  whatever,  have 
been  supported.  No  other  system  of  religion  has 
had  such  keen  and  virulent  opposers ;  on  no  other 
has  the  opposition  gained  so  little  ground  with 
all  sober  and  reflecting  persons.  No  other  sub- 
ject has  been  so  fully,  so  ably,  so  impartially 
examined :  nor  has  any  other  creed  been  so  ge- 
nerally received  by  wise  and  learned  men,  or  so 
long  maintained  its  ground  in  the  world.  No 
other  system  carries  in  itself  such  intrinsic  marks 
of  Divine  truth,  so  little  according  with  the  secu- 
lar interests  or  policy  of  mankind,  or  so  directly 
applying  itself  to  the  real  good  of  man.  No 
other  has  made  so  many  proselytes  amongst  the 
most  deserving  part  of  mankind ;  nor  has  any 
other  had  such  an  attestation  to  its  worth  as 
that  which  the  noble  army  of  martyrs  have  given 
to  the  Gospel  of  Christ.  No  other  subject  can  at 

VOL.  II.  2  I 


482 


ON  SOUNDNESS  OF  MIND 


all  approach  in  importance  to  this,  which  em- 
braces the  dearest  interests  of  mankind,  both  in 
the  present  and  in  the  future  life  ;  which  alone 
claims  the  high  prerogative  of  informing  us  what 
occurs  when  man  is  turned  to  dust,  and  is  no  more 
seen ;  which  alone  reveals  to  us  the  nature  of  that 
state  from  which  none  have  ever  returned ;  no 
other  subject  asserts  the  high  distinction  of  being 
communicated  to  man  by  the  great  and  glorious 
God  —  of  declaring  his  Avill  and  pleasure.  All 
other  subjects  of  human  inquiry  are  but  the  con- 
jectures of  man  :  this  alone  professes  certainty 
and  truth,  unmixed  with  error.  Now,  when  such 
a  subject  is  submitted  to  us,  what  shall  we  say 
of  those  men,  who,  with  little  ceremony,  and  as 
little  reflection,  turn  away  from  it  as  an  impos- 
ture, and  refuse  to  listen  to  its  decisions  ?  I  am 
sure  that  a  sound  mind  would  lead  them  to  pursue 
a  very  different  conduct.  Unless  it  plainly  wore 
the  face  of  imposture,  which  no  man  can  assert 
of  Christianity,  and  which  its  intrinsic  evidence, 
its  dignity  and  purity,  strongly  refute,  they  would, 
if  under  the  influence  of  a  sound  mind,  conceive 
themselves  bound  to  examine  very  closely  into 
the  nature  of  its  evidence ;  and  if,  after  all  their 
inquiries,  they  were  unable  to  assent  to  the  truth 
of  it,  they  would  at  least  regard  it  with  the  re- 
spect due  to  its  own  intrinsic  excellence,  to  the 
illustrious  men  by  whom  it  has  been  firmly  be- 
lieved, and  to  the  beneficial  eftects  which  it  has 
produced  in  the  world.  What  an  example  is  it, 
then,  of  unsoundness  of  mind,  or  rather  of  in- 
fatuation, when  not  merely  men  of  learning,  but 
persons  whose  habits  of  life  have  precluded  them 


IN  RELIGION. 


483 


from  much  study  or  knowledge  —  men  of  de- 
bauched characters,  the  frivolous  and  the  idle, 
the  low  and  the  uneducated  —  nay,  even  the 
young,  who  have  scarcely  acquired  the  first  ele- 
ments of  learning,  presume  to  reject  the  autho- 
rity and  deride  the  sanctions  of  the  Gospel !  Such 
persons,  but  from  the  want  of  a  sound  mind, 
would  ask  themselves  what  they  really  know  of 
the  evidences  of  Christianity.  They  would  con- 
sider that  this  is  not  a  matter  of  mere  specula- 
tion, nor  a  subject  on  which  error  can  be  matter 
of  indifference ;  but  that,  if  they  err  here,  it  is  at 
the  peril  of  their  eternal  salvation. 

I  do  not  now  speak  to  bold  and  avowed  infidels 
merely,  for  such  persons  are  seldom  present  in 
these  assemblies  :  but  even  here  there  probably 
are  persons  who,  in  a  lower  sense,  correspond 
to  the  description  I  have  given ;  who  regard  the 
question,  respecting  the  truth  or  falsehood  of 
Christianity,  with  as  little  concern  as  any  point 
of  ancient  history,  or  the  opinions  of  the  philoso- 
phers of  Greece,  who  feel  very  indifferent  whether 
the  Bible  is  true  or  false,  and  therefore  pay  no 
practical  attention  to  it. 

I  would  earnestly  and  seriously  entreat  such 
persons  to  beware.  They  probably  value  them- 
selves on  their  understanding  and  their  superiority 
to  the  common  weakness  of  mankind  ;  but  let 
them  be  reminded,  that  to  disbelieve,  not  less 
than  to  believe  too  hastily,  is  among  the  plainest 
marks  of  a  weak  and  foolish  mind,  and  that  such 
foolishness  is  never  less  pardonable  than  when  it 
relates  to  a  subject  enforced  by  such  high  au- 

2  I  2 


484 


ON  SOUNDNESS  OF  MIND 


thority,  guarded  by  such  a^\i'ul  sanctions,  and 
big  \i^nth  such  solemn  consequences. 

I  stated,  lastly,  that  soundness  of  mind  appears 
in  the  text  to  be  opposed  to  indifference  about 
religion;  but  this  part  of  the  subject  must  be 
postponed  to  a  future  discourse. 

In  conclusion,  I  have  to  offer  but  one  brief 
remark  on  what  has  been  said.  It  is  a  rare  thing 
to  possess  a  sound  understanding — an  understand- 
ing which  contemplates  eyer\^  object  in  its  just 
magnitude,  and  in  its  real  relation  to  others.  Let 
us  then  be  conscious  of  the  natural  weakness  of 
our  minds.  Our  great  difficulty  consists  in  dis- 
covering the  defectiveness  of  our  own  sight.  By 
superior  spirits  truth  is  probably  perceived  in- 
stantly, and  without  difficulty ;  to  them  it  may 
appear  like  the  sun,  bright  and  glorious ;  but  to 
us,  who  want  the  proper  organs  to  discern  this 
light,  it  too  often  appears  dim  and  clouded,  or  is 
not  discerned  at  all.  We  do  not  see  distinctly, 
though  surrounded  by  the  light  itself.  This  in- 
tellectual blindness  is  owing  to  the  fall  of  man ; 
and  the  Spirit  of  God  alone  can,  in  any  measure, 
remove  or  rectify  it.  Let  it  then  be  your  earnest 
prayer,  that  you  may  receive  from  him  this 
blessing.  To  that  end  cherish  a  humble  mind, 
a  dependance  on  the  influence  of  the  Holy  Ghost, 
and  diligence  in  the  use  of  all  the  appointed 
means  of  growing  in  true  wisdom.  Humihty  will 
render  yon  sensible  of  your  blindness,  and  dis- 
pose you  to  believe  that  you  may  be  in  error.  It 
is  the  presumption  that  we  are  right,  which  keeps 


IN  RELIGIOX. 


485 


US  wrong.  Dependance  on  the  Holy  Spirit  will 
remove  the  darkness  which  we  may  discover  in 
our  souls.  If  any  man  lack  wisdom,  let  him  ask 
of  Him  who  giveth  liberally  and  refuseth  not.  In 
the  diligent  use  of  those  means  of  increasing  in 
wisdom  which  God  has  placed  in  our  own  power, 
we  may  humbly  expect  to  be  made  partakers  of 
this  gracious  influence.  Let  us  study  the  word 
of  God  diligently,  examine  our  hearts,  solicit  and 
receive  with  meekness  the  counsel  of  our  Chris- 
tian brethren,  attend  with  simplicity  of  heart  on 
the  preaching  of  the  word,  and  partake  of  the 
holy  communion  of  the  body  and  blood  of  Christ; 
and  in  these  appointed  means  of  grace  we  shall, 
through  the  Divine  blessing,  have  the  darkness  of 
our  minds  enlightened. 


486 


SERMON  XXXII. 

ON  SOUNDNESS  OF  MIND  IN  RELIGION. 
'2  TIMOTHY  i.  7. 

God  has  given  us  the  spirit  of  a  sound  mind. 

In  a  former  discourse  upon  these  words,  I  con- 
sidered soundness  of  mind  as  opposed  to  credu- 
lity, superstition,  enthusiasm,  and  scepticism.  I 
propose,  at  present,  to  consider  it  as  opposed  to 
insensibility,  or  indifference  to  the  great  .objects  of 
religion. 

If  you  saw  a  man  bartering  his  estate  for  a 
childish  toy,  or  labouring  to  accomplish  some  ob- 
ject in  its  nature  evidently  unattainable,  or  using 
the  greatest  exertions  and  the  most  powerful  means 
to  effect  some  frivolous  or  contemptible  purpose  ; 
or,  on  the  other  hand,  struggling  to  accomplish 
some  end  really  important,  by  means  wholly  in- 
adequate ;  you  would  say,  without  hesitation, 
that  such  a  man  had  not  a  sound  mind.  If  you 
observed  a  man  continually  mistaking  the  objects 
around  him,  esteeming  those  valuable  which  were 
really  of  no  worth,  and  rejecting  as  worthless 
those  of  the  greatest  value  ;  flying  from  his  friends 
and  relations  as  enemies,  and  caressing  strangers 
and  enemies  as  friends ;  rejoicing  when  his  situa- 
tion was  most  melancholy,  and  weeping  when  he 


ON  SOUNDNESS  OF  MIND. 


487 


had  no  cause  for  sorrow  ;  you  would  say  at  once 
that  such  a  person  was  deranged.  The  cases  I 
have  supposed  are,  no  doubt,  of  an  extravagant 
kind  ;  yet  they  are  only  strong  examples  of  that 
unsoundness  of  mind,  of  that  inability  to  per- 
ceive in  a  true  and  just  light  the  objects  present- 
ed to  us,  which  in  a  greater  or  less  degree  appears 
to  be  the  general  disease  of  mankind.  There  are, 
indeed,  few  who  apprehend  all  things  within  the 
sphere  of  their  observation,  according  to  truth 
and  reason  ;  a  remark  which  a  general  survey  of 
human  life  would  strongly  confirm.  But  1  have 
at  present  only  to  do  with  religion  ;  and  I  think 
no  other  instance  can  be  produced  of  such  extreme 
imbecility,  of  such  a  departure  from  every  prin- 
ciple of  reason,  as  we  daily  see  in  the  conduct  of 
men  respecting  this  subject. 

The  great  doctrines  which  religion  teaches 
must  be  either  false,  or  doubtful,  or  true.  That 
they  are  false  can  never  be  positively  proved. 
Such  an  opinion  does  not  admit  of  proof.  Nor 
do  I  know  that  any  infidel  has  ventured  to  say 
more  than  that  he  conceives  such  an  opinion  to 
be  very  probably  true.  I  shall  not,  therefore, 
dwell  on  that  supposition.  Let  it  be  conceded, 
then,  for  the  sake  of  argument,  that  the  doctrines 
are  doubtful.  We  have,  then,  a  doubt  of  the 
most  tremendous  consequence;  a  doubt  not  about 
our  existence  or  happiness  for  a  year  or  two  in 
this  short  life — that  would  be  comparatively  no- 
thing— but  a  doubt  respecting  our  eternal  happi- 
ness or  eternal  misery. 

It  is  very  clear,"  (I  use  the  words  of  Pascal,) 

that  there  is  here  no  true  and  solid  happiness ; 


488 


ON  SOUNDNESS  OF  MIND 


that  our  pleasures  are  but  vanity,  our  troubles 
infinite;  and  that,  at  length,  death,  which  threatens 
us  every  moment,  must,  in  a  few  years,  and  per- 
haps in  a  few  days,  place  us  in  the  eternal  con- 
dition of  happiness,  or  misery,  or  annihilation. 
Life,  the  most  frail  thing  in  nature,  is  the  only 
barrier  betwixt  us  and  heaven,  or  hell,  or  nothing- 
ness ;  and  since  the  happiness  of  heaven  is  cer- 
tainly not  designed  for  those  who  doubt  their 
immortality,  they  have  nothing  to  expect  but 
annihilation  or  hell. 

It  is  in  vain  for  men  to  turn  aside  their 
thoughts  from  this  eternity,  as  if  they  were  able 
to  destroy  it  by  denying  it  a  place  in  their  imagi- 
nation. It  subsists  in  spite  of  them  ;  it  advances 
unobserved ;  and  death,  which  is  to  draw  the 
curtain  from  it,  will  in  a  short  time  infallibly 
reduce  them  to  the  dreadful  necessity  of  being 
for  ever  nothing,  or  for  ever  miserable. 

Now%  surely,  in  a  doubtful  point  of  this  most 
tremendous  consequence,  it  is  the  duty  of  every 
rational  person  to  endeavour,  if  possible,  to  obtain 
a  solution  of  his  doubts,  and  to  remain  no  longer 
in  suspense  about  a  question  of  such  immense 
consequence,  in  comparison  of  which  all  the  sor- 
rows or  happiness  of  this  life  will  not  bear  so 
much  as  a  single  moment's  comparison.  Yet  we 
see  persons,  professing  too  to  be  wise,  and  raised 
above  the  vulgar  herd,  who  not  only  doubt  upon 
these  points,  but  appear  to  be  easy  and  composed ; 
nay,  declare  their  doubts  with  perfect  indiffer- 
ence, and  perhaps  gratify  their  vanity  in  professing 
them.  What  words  can  be  found  to  fix  a  name 
for  such  unaccountable  folly  ? 


IN  RELIGION. 


489 


**  Yet  you  see  the  same  persons  quite  other 
men  in  all  other  respects.  They  fear  the  smallest 
inconveniences  :  they  see  them  as  they  approach, 
and  feel  them  if  they  arrive.  They  pass  whole 
days  and  nights  in  chagrin  and  despair  for  the 
loss  of  their  property,  or  for  some  imaginary 
blemish  in  their  honour ; — and  yet  these  very  same 
persons  suppose  they  may  lose  all  by  death,  and 
remain  without  disquiet  or  emotion.  This  won- 
derful insensibility  with  respect  to  things  of  the 
most  fatal  consequence,  and  that  too  in  a  heart  so 
nicely  sensible  of  the  meanest  trifles,  is  an  asto- 
nishing prodigy,  an  unintelligible  enchantment, 
a  supernatural  blindness  and  infatuation.*' 

I  know  no  conceivable  instance  of  infatuation 
which  is  more  truly  surprising  than  this,  except 
that  which,  alas!  is  equally  common;  the  believ- 
ing all  the  truths  of  Revelation,  and  yet  living 
without  concern  about  them. 

You  believe  the  Scriptures.  You  are  shocked 
at  the  incredulity  of  infidels.  You  do  not  doubt 
that  the  Son  of  God  came  down  from  heaven  to 
reveal  to  you  the  invisible  world,  and  to  make 
known  to  you  the  eternal  state. 

You  believe,  then,  that  there  is  a  future  life,  in 
comparison  of  which  this  is  a  mere  point:  sit  down 
and  contemplate  the  duration  of  it.  Is  it  a  life  of 
a  thousand  years,  of  a  million,  or  of  millions  of 
millions  ?  Calculate  every  grain  of  sand  on  the 
sea-shore  as  a  year,  or  a  million  of  years,  still 
your  imagination  would  hardly  have  made  an  ap- 
proach to  an  adequate  conception  of  an  eternal 
life.  How  does  this  idea  bear  upon  the  present 
world  ?    It  reduces  its  importance  absolutely  to 


490 


ON  SOUNDNESS  OF  MIND 


nothing.  This  life  shrinks  before  it,  a  mere  atom 
of  time.    But  it  must  be  observed,  that  what  this 
little  moment  thus  loses  in  duration  it  gains  in 
rank  and  importance,  when  we  consider  its  con- 
sequence.   In  this  view,  even  eternity  itself  does 
not  outweigh  in  the  scale  the  short  and  fleeting 
moments  of  this  life,  because  on  this  life  our 
eternal  state  depends.    Oh!  moments  big  with 
importance  in  one  view,  vain  and  utterly  trifling 
in  another  1    Important  as  eternity  itself,  when 
considered  as  the  scene  of  preparation  for  another 
world,  as  the  space  in  which  the  irreversible  sen- 
tence is  to  be  passed,  and  the  eternal  state  de- 
cided ;  though  vain,  and  trifling,  and  unworthy 
a  moment's  thought,  when  compared  with  the 
infinite  duration  of  eternity!    Yet,  O  strange 
absurdity  I  we  see  every  thing  reversed :  persons 
not  at  all  interested  about  these  fleeting  moments 
on  account  of  their  relation  to  eternity,  but  very 
anxious  about  them  in  themselves  !  Such  was  the 
case  of  the  fool  in  the  Gospel.  He  was  extremely 
solicitous  about  the  few  minutes  of  this  life ;  all 
his  thoughts  were  occupied  about  it.    He  had 
been  a  prudent  man,  a  careful  manager  :  had 
foreseen  all  the  evils  of  life;  secured  his  property 
carefully ;  and  now  he  meditates  to  take  further 
care  of  his  stores,  that  they  might  not  be  spoiled 
or  wasted.    But  how  does  God  address  him? 

Thou  fool !  "  He  was  indeed  a  fool.  No  idiot 
could  have  been  acting  more  foolishly.  He  had 
been  very  careful  about  minutes,  and  wasting 
years  :  he  had  been  making  a  provision  for  this 
life,  and  thought  he  had  secured  it.  And  what 
was  the  life  respecting  which  he  was  so  anxious? 


IN  RELIGION. 


491 


tie  had  not  twelve  hours  yet  remaining.  But  he 
had  entirely  forgotten  to  make  preparation  for 
the  life  to  come.  He  had  thought  much  of  avoid- 
ing poverty  and  w^ant,  but  had  taken  no  pains  to 
avert  the  displeasure  of  God  and  everlasting  ruin. 
He  had  been  anxious  to  avoid  every  petty  loss, 
but  had  taken  no  pains  to  guard  against  the  loss 
of  his  soul.  And  mark  the  consequence  of  his 
conduct.  In  an  unexpected  moment  he  is  hurried 
away.  He  has  lost  every  particle  of  his  property : 
he  finds  himself  in  a  new  world,  and  sees  at  once 
how  he  has  been  losing  his  time,  and  wasting  his 
talents  in  this.  He  has  made  no  preparation  for 
eternity :  he  is  not  meet  for  the  kingdom  of 
heaven.  With  all  his  prudence,  he  has  omitted 
to  make  preparation  for  the  solemn  trial  at  the 
bar  of  God.  He  is  found  guilty  of  having  neglect- 
ed his  God,  despised  his  soul,  and  thrown  away 
his  salvation.  Alas !  how  prodigiously  foolish 
must  such  a  one  at  length  appear  even  to  himself! 
To  have  accounted  himself  wise,  and  yet  to  have 
been  so  short-sighted  ;  to  have  laboured  hard  all 
his  life,  in  order  to  gain  so  little ;  to  have  bestowed 
so  much  care  and  thought,  and  yet  to  have  ac- 
quired nothing  against  the  hour  of  his  utmost 
necessity,  when  the  overwhelming  justice  of 
the  Almighty  should  fall  upon  him  ;  nay,  by  his 
negligence,  by  his  love  of  earthly  things,  to  have 
been  ever  heaping  up  to  himself  wrath  against 
the  day  of  wrath,  to  have  been  labouring  hard, 
and  submitting  to  much  vexation  and  self-denial, 
but  to  aggravate  his  own  destruction  ! 

Was  such  folly  confined  to  the  men  of  old  ? — 
In  the  present  day,  are  not  men  £very  where 


492 


ON  SOUXDNESS  OF  MIND 


anxious  and  carefbl  about  their  life,  which  is  even 
a  vapour,  which  appeareth  for  a  little  time,  and 
then  is  gone?  Yet  these  men  are  reckoned  the 
prudent  of  the  world,  and  declaim  against  the 
folly  and  thoughtlessness  of  others  who  do  not 
provide  for  the  few  remaining  years  of  this  life, 
while  they  themselves  have  made  no  sore  provi- 
sion for  the  millions  of  years  that  are  before  them. 

But  they  will  perhaps  deny  this  charge,  and 
plead  that  they  have  been  making  provision  for 
eternity;  that  their  lives  have  been  harmless  and 
innocent;  that  at  least  they  have  been  carefnl  to 
avoid  all  flagrant  and  enormous  sins ;  and  that, 
therefore,  they  confide  their  eternal  state  to  the 
mercy  of  their  Creator.  Now  it  is  extreme  folly 
to  pretend  to  determine  this  question  upon  any 
ground  but  the  express  declarations  of  Scripture. 
We  know  nothing  about  the  eternal  state,  the  day 
of  judgment,  the  purposes  of  God,  or  the  final 
condition  of  man,  but  what  it  has  pleased  God  to 
reveal  in  his  word :  we  must  therefore  depend 
wholly  on  that  word  for  information  as  to  the 
exact  kind  and  degree  of  preparation  we  ought 
to  make.  The  Bible  informs  us  of  our  danger, 
and  must  be  our  only  guide  how  to  escape  it. 
Here,  then,  is  folly  and  unsoundness  of  mind  in 
the  highest  degree,  that  men  will  not  search  the 
Scriptures  and  be  guided  by  the  word  of  God. 
They  hope  they  have  provided  for  eternity,  that 
they  have  made  their  peace  with  God ;  but  upon 
what  grounds  do  they  believe  this  ?  The  Bible 
they  have  not  read :  it  has  lain  by  them,  unopened, 
for  weeks  together  ;  for  they  have  found  no  leisure, 
or,  what  is  more  true,  have  had  no  relish  to  read 


IN  RELIGION. 


493 


it:  how  then  can  they  be  sure  that  they  have 
complied  with  the  terms  which  the  Gospel  pro- 
poses ?    They  think  they  know  sufficiently  what 
the  Bible  contains,  and  tell  you  that  it  only  re- 
quires us  to  lead  good  lives,  and  to  trust  in  God's 
mercy.    Alas  !  these  vague  and  unfounded  ideas 
shew  clearly  the  Bible  has  not  been  read,  or  not 
read  with  that  degree  of  attention  which  a  just 
interest  in  it  would  excite.  The  folly  is,  that  there 
is  not  the  proportionate  degree  of  attention  and 
pains  bestowed  upon  this  important  object  which 
there  is  even  upon  the  most  trivial.    Let  men  be 
in  danger  of  losing  any  part  of  their  property,  and 
you  see  at  once  what  pains  they  will  take  to  un- 
derstand their  own  case— how  acute  and  diligent 
they  will  be  in  learning  the  intricacies  of  law ;  how 
ingenious  in  finding  out  plausible  arguments  on 
their  own  side.    The  reason  is,  that  here  they 
are  in  earnest ;  here  they  spare  no  pains  ;  but 
about  religion  they  are  not  in  earnest.    If  occa- 
sionally to  repeat  a  prayer,  and  to  attend  at 
church,  will  be  enough  to  purchase  heaven,  they 
are  willing  to  pay  that  price  ;  but  they  have  no 
wish  to  do  more  :  and  because  they  suspect  that 
the  Bible  would  require  more,  they  refuse  to  read 
it.    They  know  the  Bible  insists  upon  a  life  de- 
voted to  God,  upon  a  true  and  lively  faith  in 
Christ,  upon  supreme  love  to  God,  upon  deadness 
to  this  world,  upon  holy  tempers  and  a  life  con- 
formed to  the  pattern  of  our  blessed  Lord,  and 
Saviour.    And  they  are  conscious  that  they  pos- 
sess not  these  qualities  ;  nor  have  they  in  truth  a 
desire  to  obtain  them ;  and  therefore  they  are 
afraid  to  study  the  word  of  God,  and  try  to  de- 


494 


ON  SOUNDNESS  OF  MIND 


ceive  themselves  with  plausible  excuses.  They 
allege,  that  they  are  too  much  engaged  in  busi- 
ness to  attend  closely  to  these  subjects,  that  they 
are  not  able  to  understand  them,  or  that  it  is  not 
incumbent  on  persons  in  their  situation  to  enter 
into  such  inquiries.  Thus  constantly  suspecting 
they  are  wrong,  they  yet  take  no  pains  to  become 
right :  they  fear  their  danger,  but  turn  aw^ay  their 
eyes  from  it :  they  might  know  the  truth,  but  do 
not  choose  to  know  it. 

Now  were  the  state  of  man  such  that  there  was 
no  remedy  for  him,  such  conduct  might  be  de- 
fended ;  but  as  the  case  stands,  it  shews  an  in- 
conceivable degree  of  unsoundness  of  mind.  For 
God  has  removed  the  impediments  in  the  way  of 
salvation  :  He  has  made  the  path  easy  and  plain  : 
He  has  sent  His  only  Son  to  become  an  expiation 
for  our  sins  :  He  bids  us  come  freely  to  him  for 
pardon  and  eternal  life :  He  promises  us  that  he 
will  graciously  renew  our  nature  if  we  apply  to 
Him :  that  his  Holy  Spirit  shall  assist  us,  and 
shall  work  in  us ;  and  that  His  Son  shall  intercede 
on  our  behalf.  Now  here  is  infatuation,  that  all 
this  kindness  and  tenderness  on  the  part  of  God, 
and  the  extreme  danger  of  refusing  His  invitation, 
and  remaining  exposed  to  his  wrath,  does  not 
move  us  to  consider  our  ways,  and  turn  to 
him  that  we  may  live.  On  one  side,  there  is 
every  thing  to  allure ;  on  the  other,  every  thing 
to  alarm  us.  A  dreadful  eternity  of  misery, 
a  gulf  of  fire,  yawns  before  us.  God  our  Creator 
calls  upon  us  to  stop,  tenderly  invites  us  to  flee 
to  him  for  refuge,  points  to  the  gate  of  heaven 
open  to  receive  us,  sends  his  Son  to  remonstrate 


IN  RELIGION. 


495 


with  us,  and  yet  we  will  not  hear.  Without  alarm 
we  go  on,  without  concern  we  persist :  we  say, 
Tush  !  we  shall  not  perish  :  God  will  be  merciful ; 
or,  Let  us  eat  and  drink  and  enjoy  the  present 
life  ;  for  who  knows  any  thing  about  that  which 
is  to  come  ?  How  would  such  a  conduct  with 
respect  to  temporal  aifairs  be  thought  of  ?  Would 
it  not  be  esteemed  a  clear  proof  of  insanity? 
Surely  it  cannot  be  less  so  when  the  reasons  are 
infinitely  more  strong,  and  the  conduct  propor- 
tionably  more  preposterous. 

But  what  shall  we  say,  then,  to  the  presumptu- 
ous sinner;  to  the  man  who  knows  perfectly,  that, 
if  there  is  any  truth  in  religion,  he  is  condemned 
by  it  without  hope  ?  Yet  there  are  thousands  of 
our  fellow-creatures  who  are  living  in  this  state, 
who  profess  to  believe  the  Bible,  and  indeed  know 
of  no  material  objection  to  its  truth :  yet  they 
there  read,  Know  ye  not  that  the  unrighteous 
shall  not  inherit  the  kingdom  of  God  ? "  Be  not 
deceived  :  neither  fornicators,  nor  adulterers,  nor 
thieves,  nor  covetous,  nor  revilers,  nor  extortion- 
ers, shall  inherit  the  kingdom  of  God."  Now 
they  know  that  they  are  guilty  of  some  of  these 
vices,  and  yet  they  are  easy.  What  would  they 
think  of  a  man  upon  whom  the  sentence  of  a  cruel 
death  was  passed,  and  who  had  not  an  hoUr  to 
live,  if  they  saw  him  busy  about  worldly  affairs, 
and  amusing  himself  with  trifles  ?  Would  they  not 
justly  ask,  Is  he  in  his  senses  ?  Does  he  know  his 
doom  ?  Yet  this  is  the  case  with  themselves. 
Surely  as  the  Revelation  of  God  is  true,  they  will 
perish  eternally,  if  they  die  in  their  sins  ;  and  yet 
they  are  easy  and  unconcerned.  What  excuse  do 


496 


ON  vSOUNDNESS  OF  MIND 


they  make  for  their  folly  ?  Perhaps  they  say,  they 
shall  repent  hereafter.  But  can  they  suspend  the 
approach  of  death  ?  Are  they  sure  they  shall  live 
through  the  present  day  ?  Although  not  certain  of 
life  a  single  moment,  they  yet  encourage  them- 
selves in  sin,  in  the  hope  of  its  duration  ;  they  use 
the  very  patience  of  God  as  an  argument  for  pro- 
voking him  still  more  and  more,  and  for  adding 
to  the  number  and  guilt  of  their  sins.    In  this 
state  I  believe  thousands  are  living,  who  entertain 
very  little  hope  of  their  condition  ;  or  rather  are 
self-condemned,  but  who  will  not  reflect  and  turn 
to  God.    Is  it  that  they  are  happy  as  they  are? 
No :  they,  like  others,  feel  the  troubles  and  dis- 
appointments of  this  wicked  world  ;  but  they  do 
not  perhaps  think  they  should  be  happier  if  they 
did  really  become  religious.    Would  they  not  ? 
Let  them  reflect  a  moment.    Who  has  enjoined 
religion  ?    Is  it  not  God,  the  Father  of  all  good  ? 
Where  is  religion  chiefly  found?    Is  it  not  in 
heaven,  the  seat  of  supreme  felicity  ?   Where  do 
irreligion  and  disobedience  to  God  prevail  ?  Is  it 
not  in  hell,  the  seat  of  misery  ?  Are  the  profligates 
upon  earth,  or  those  who  are  most  obedient  to 
God,  the  most  happy  ?    Perhaps  it  is  imposible 
to  find  a  stronger  instance  of  unsoundness  of  mind 
than  that  of  supposing,  that  the  very  thing  which 
God  has  enjoined  for  our  good  can  conduce  to  our 
misery. 

There  is,  however,  no  end  to  the  instances  of 
extreme  folly  which  prevail  in  the  world  on  the 
subject  of  religion.  What  shall  we  say  to  the 
daring  profligate,  who  sets  Heaven  at  defiance  ? 
Could  he  calculate  the  risk  he  runs,  how  prodi- 


IN  RELIGION. 


497 


gious  would  his  folly  appear !    The  mere  possi- 
bility of  coming  short  of  heaven,  and  of  being 
doomed  for  ever  to  hell,  might  justly  occupy 
every  thought  of  a  really  wise  man,  and  lead  him 
to  direct  all  the  force  and  powers  of  his  soul  to 
the  single  object  of  escaping  such  misery,  and 
obtaining  such  happiness.  He  might  justly  make 
this  the  one  only  concern  of  his  life.    And  yet 
these  men  madly  rush  upon  eternal  destruction, 
and  laugh  at  the  threatenings  of  God.  What  shall 
we  say  also  to  the  folly  of  the  person  who  professes 
religion,  who  is  constantly  hearing  sermons,  and 
reading  the  Bible ;  yet  at  the  same  time  indulg- 
ing evil  tempers,  leading  a  careless,  unholy  life, 
and  preserving  the  form  of  religion  only  without 
the  spirit  of  it  ?  Such  a  one  must  know  his  guilt : 
every  thing  must  tend  to  excite  in  him  fearful  ap- 
prehensions ;  yet  he  goes  on  without  one  earnest 
and  vigorous  endeavour  to  be  freed  from  the 
shackles  of  the  sin  which  so  easily  besets  him — 
always  condemned  ;  ever  learning,  and  never  able 
to  come  to  the  knowledge  of  the  truth ;  ever  hop- 
ing and  intending,  but  never  doing  anything; 
ever  hearing  of  a  Saviour,  but  not  experiencing 
his  power.    Religion  is  here  his  torment,  and 
will  but  aggravate  his  wretchedness  hereafter. — 
What  shall  we  say  also  to  the  very  great  folly  of 
those  who  continually  distrust  the  providence  of  God? 
We  believe  that  there  is  a  great  and  powerful 
Being,  who  directs  all  things  according  to  his 
will,  and  who  hears  even  the  young  sparrows  that 
cry  to  him ;  whose  peculiar  glory  it  is  to  be  the 
Father  of  the  universe,  and  to  give  to  all  breath, 
and  life,  and  food,  and  all  things  convenient  for 

VOL.  II.  2  K 


498 


ON  SOUNDNESS  OF  MIND 


them.    Yet,  as  if  there  were  no  such  Being,  as  if 
everj^  thing  were  left  to  chance,  and  to  the  de- 
termination of  man,  how  many  are  there  who  are 
seeking  in  an  unlawful  way  for  the  things  of  this 
life;  who  pay  no  regard  to  the  providence  of  God, 
and  seek  to  prosper  without  him,  or  even  in  de- 
fiance of  him  ! — How  many,  in  like  manner,  are 
guilty  of  the  inconceivable  folly  of  fearing  rnan 
more  than  God!    They  tremble  lest  they  should 
incur  the  resentment  of  their  fellow-creature, 
whose  breath  is  in  his  nostrils  ;  but  they  are  not 
afraid  to  incur  the  high  displeasure  of  that  God 
at  whose  look  the  earth  trembleth.   If  God  is  our 
Friend,  we  may  well  say,  who  shall  make  us 
afraid  ?   If  God  is  our  Father,  why  should  we  be 
distressed  on  account  of  the  opinions  of  men  ? 
Hear  the  forcible  reasoning  which  God  himself 
uses  on  this  subject : — I,  even  I,  am  he  that 
comforteth  you.  Who  art  thou,  that  thou  shouldst 
be  afraid  of  a  man  that  shall  die,  and  of  the  son 
of  man  that  shall  be  made  as  grass  ;  and  forgettest 
the  Lord  thy  Maker,  that  hath  stretched  forth  the 
heavens,  and  laid  the  foundation  of  the  earth,  and 
hast  feared  continually  every  day,  because  of  the 
fury  of  the  oppressor,  as  if  he  were  ready  to  de- 
stroy :  and  where  is  the  fury  of  the  oppressor  ? 
But  I  am  the  Lord  thy  God,  that  divided  the  sea, 
whose  waves  roared  ;  the  Lord  of  Hosts  is  my 
name." 

In  all  these  cases,  an  obvious  unsoundness  of 
mind  manifests  itself.  The  person  entertains  no 
proper  perception  either  of  the  things  of  this 
world  or  of  those  of  the  world  to  come  ;  either 
of  God  or  of  man.    He  is  infatuated.    His  mind 


IX  RELIGIOX. 


499 


is  in  an  unsound  state.  He  is  blind,  and  sees 
nothing  distinctly  or  clearly.  Let  us  not,  how- 
ever, suppose  that  this  infirmity  excuses  him. 
He  is  blind  because  he  will  not  see  :  he  has  facul- 
ties, but  he  will  not  use  them.  The  light  glares, 
and  he  wilfully  turns  from  it ;  loving  darkness 
rather  than  light,  because  his  deeds  are  evil. 
Were  it  a  necessary  infirmity  that  man  should 
reason  so  foolishly  and  weakly,  he  might  be  an 
object  of  pity,  but  not  of  blame  :  but  he  clearl} 
shews  that  he  possesses  the  faculty  of  judging 
better,  because  we  see  him  exercising  it  where- 
ever  his  interest  or  inclination  requires  it.  And, 
indeed,  as  soon  as,  through  the  influence  of  the 
Spirit  of  God,  he  seriously  directs  his  attention 
to  these  subjects,  he  begins  to  reason  justly,  to 
feel  properly,  and  to  act  righteously. 

Let  us  suppose  a  man  becoming  sensible  to 
the  importance  of  eternal  things,  and  beginning 
to  judge  with  a  sound  mind.  He  stands  astonished 
at  the  very  different  aspect  in  which  the  objects 
around  him  now  appear.  Enlightened  by  the 
word  and  Spirit  of  God,  this  life  appears  but 
a  mere  point  in  comparison  with  eternity;  and  all 
the  bustle  and  hurry  of  this  world,  all  its  cares, 
pursuits,  and  pleasures,  shrink  into  nothing  in 
his  view.  He  sees  the  world  to  be  a  vast  Babel, 
in  which  men  are  reasoning  and  acting  like 
froward  and  foolish  children;  transported  with 
empty  joys,  depressed  with  imaginary  sorrows, 
fearing  where  no  fear  is,  and  not  alarmed  by  the 
most  awful  dangers  pressing  upon  them.  He 
reflects  upon  himself :  I  am  a  dying  creature," 
he  says ;     here  to-day,  and  to  morrow  removed 

2  K  2 


500 


ox  SOUNDNESS  OF  MIND 


from  this  transitory  scene.  But  I  have  an  endless 
being.  I  do  not  live  here,  but  I  shall  live  above. 
There  is  a  world  where  the  objects  are  really  im- 
portant, because  eternal.  I  see  a  glorious  state, 
a  blessed  society,  free  from  pain,  from  weakness, 
from  decay,  from  sin  the  chief  evil :  I  see  an 
assemblage  of  blessed  and  happy  spirits,  all  pro- 
perly and  wisely  employed,  fulfilling  perfectly 
the  will  of  their  Creator.  I  see  a  great  and  glo- 
rious Being,  whose  will  extends  to  every  part  of 
the  creation ;  who  giveth  life,  or  taketh  it  away ; 
who  appoints  to  every  one  his  lot;  who  settetli 
up  kingdoms,  or  pulleth  them  down ;  who  disap- 
pointeth  the  counsels  of  the  wise ;  who  directs  all 
the  actions  of  men  according  to  his  vdll.  This 
glorious  Being,"  he  will  say,  offers  himself  to 
be  my  Father,  and  that  glorious  state  to  be  my 
home.  He  tells  me  that  the  world  I  now  live  in 
is  a  poor,  empty,  transitory  state,  lying  under  his 
displeasure  and  curse,  in  which  no  true  happiness 
is  to  be  found.  He  bids  me  not  to  be  engrossed 
by  its  vanities  and  follies,  but  to  look  above ;  to 
live  as  the  inhabitant  of  another  state  ;  to  prepare 
for  death  and  heaven,  and,  above  all,  to  listen  to 
his  only-begotten  Son  whom  he  has  sent  into 
the  world  to  be  the  resurrection  and  the  life,  that 
whosoever  believeth  in  him  should  not  perish, 
but  have  everlastins^  life." 

Such  is  the  true  view  of  things.  The  man  who 
possesses  this  view  is  come  to  his  senses  :  he  uses 
his  faculties,  and,  in  consequence,  there  is  a  com- 
plete revolution  in  his  opinions,  maxims,  and  con- 
duct. This  revolution  is  what  the  Scripture  means 
when  it  speaks  of  a  Christian  as  a  new  creature  : 


IN  RELIGIOISr. 


501 


old  things  are  passed  away,  behold  all  things 
become  new.  This  is  being  born  of  the  Spirit ; 
being  illuminated  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  that  he 
may  know  what  is  the  hope  of  his  calling,  and 
what  the  riches  of  the  glory  of  the  inheritance  of 
the  saints.  This  view  makes  him  indifferent  to 
the  serious  pursuits  of  others,  and  tranquil  in  the 
midst  of  those  cares  and  sorrows  which  agitate 
his  fellow-creatures  :  he  sees  them  to  be  little 
and  trifling,  compared  with  eternal  things.  This 
view  makes  the  favour  of  God  the  only  thing  de- 
sirable, and  the  displeasure  of  God  the  only  thing 
dreadful.  This  view  makes  him  pass  through  this 
life  as  a  pilgrim  and  stranger,  looking  forward  to 
a  better  country,  and  fixing  his  affections  in 
heaven,  where  Christ  his  Saviour  reigns,  and 
where  he  hopes  soon  to  be  admitted.  This  view 
disarms  death  of  its  sting,  and  teaches  him  how 
to  employ  life.  The  man  now  lives  as  an  im- 
mortal being,  the  heir  of  Heaven,  the  son  of  God, 
under  the  tutorship  of  his  Spirit. 

My  brethren,  has  such  a  change  of  view  taken 
place  in  you  ?  Do  you  thus  think  of  the  world, 
and  of  life ;  of  God,  and  of  man ;  of  sin,  and  of 
holiness  ?  In  a  word,  is  your  nature  renewed,  or 
are  you  seeking  that  it  may  be  renewed  ?  I  leave 
this  for  your  serious  consideration.  In  the  words 
of  an  illustrious  author,  the  only  rational  men 
in  the  world  are  those  who  either  know  God  to 
be  their  God,  and  are  living  to  him ;  or  those 
who,  not  knowing  it,  are  making  it  their  whole 
endeavour  to  attain  this  knowledge,  and  to  live 
according  to  this  rule." 


502 


SERMON  XXXIII. 

ON  THE  PURPOSES  OF  GOD  IN  CHASTENING  MAN. 
DEUTERONOMY  viil.  2 — G. 

And  thou  shalt  remtmhtr  all  the  way  lohich  the  Ij)rd 
thy  God  led  thee  these  forty  years  in  the  ivilderness, 
to  humble  thee  and  to  prove  thee  ;  to  know  ivhat  teas 
in  thine  heart,  whether  thou  wouldest  keep  his  com- 
mandments Or  no.  And  he  humbled  thee,  and  suf- 
fered thee  to  hunger ;  and  fed  thee  with  manna,  which 
thou  knewest  not,  neither  did  thy  fathers  know;  thai 
he  might  make  thee  knoiv  that  man  doth  7wt  live  by 
bread  only,  but  by  every  word  that  proccedeth  out  of 
the  mouth  of  the  Lord  doth  man  live.  Thy  rai merit 
waxed  not  old  upon  thee,  7ieither  did  thy  foot  snvell 
these  forty  years.  Thou  shalt  also  consider  in  thine 
heart,  that  as  a  man  chasteneth  his  son,  so  the  Lord 
thy  God  chasteneth  thee.  Therefore,  thou  shalt  keep 
the  commandments  of  the  Lord  thy  God,  to  walk  in 
his  ways  and  to  fear  him. 

It  is  an  excellence  peculiar  to  the  Bible,  that  it 
not  only,  like  other  histories,  relates  facts  and 
events,  but,  with  a  degree  of  truth  and  authority 
which  no  other  book  can  claim,  assigns  the 
grounds  and  reasons  why  such  ev^ents  were  per- 
mitted, and  explains  the  real  causes  by  which 
such  facts  were  produced.    In  the  Bible,  God 


Oisr  THE  PURPOSES  OF  GOD.  503 

himself  is  pleased  to  withdraw  the  veil  which  in 
general  conceals  the  springs  and  motives  of  his 
actions,  and  makes  us  in  some  degree  acquainted 
with  the  designs  of  his  Providence  and  the  laws 
of  his  government. 

Of  this  insight  into  the  course  of  the  Divine 
administration,  the  history  of  God's  dealings  with 
the  children  of  Israel  may  be  considered  as  afford- 
ing a  grand  and  striking  illustration.  It  is  true 
that  we  find,  in  that  history,  miraculous  interpo- 
sitions, which  are  not  now  to  be  expected  ;  but 
these  were  only  intended  to  give  a  more  sensible 
exhibition  of  that  power  which  acts  as  really, 
though  not  so  ostensibly,  at  other  times.  Mira- 
cles do  not  alter  the  principles  upon  which  the 
Almighty  acts,  but  only  display  those  principles 
more  conspicuously.  They  do  not  indicate  a 
different  Agent,  but  only  manifest  the  conduct 
of  the  same  Agent  in  a  more  direct  and  express 
manner. 

The  history  of  the  Jews  is  also  remarkable,  as 
being  the  onli/  exhibition  of  the  kind  ever  given 
'  to  the  world.  The  event  is  related,  and  the 
Almighty  himself  stands  by  and  explains  it,  gives 
a  comment  upon  it ;  and  shews,  in  many  cases, 
what  he  designed  by  it,  and  how  such  or  such  an 
event  bore  a  reference  to  this  or  that  nation,  or 
to  the  general  purposes  which  he  had  subse- 
quently in  view  with  respect  to  mankind  at  large. 
This  history,  therefore,  taken  in  connection  with 
the  writings  of  the  Prophets,  is  a  most  interest- 
ing and  valuable  guide ;  enabling  us  to  lay  down 
the  outline  and  general  principles  by  which  the 
Divine  administration  is  carried  on  in  the  world. 


504  ON  THE  PURPOSES  OF  GOD 

In  the  words  of  my  text  we  find  an  explanation 
of  the  reasons  why  God  permitted  the  Israelites 
to  wander  for  forty  years  in  the  wilderness,  after 
he  had  brought  them  out  of  Egypt,  before  he 
suffered  them  to  enter  into  the  promised  land.  It 
was,  no  doubt,  appointed  partly  as  a  punishment 
for  their  unbelief  and  rebellion.  But  they  might 
have  been  punished  in  various  ways  ;  and  this 
particular  method  was  chosen  by  God  to  answer 
several  purposes  of  the  highest  wisdom  and 
importance.  He  determined  that  they  should 
dwell  so  long  in  the  wilderness  ;  that  they  should 
endure  so  many  afiiictions,  and  be  often  brought 
very  low  —  at  the  same  time  that  he  was  feeding 
them  daily,  and  miraculously  preserving  even 
their  raiment  from  decay  —  that  these  two  grand 
purposes,  amongst  others,  might  be  fully  accom- 
plished : — first,  that  they  might  learn  thoroughly 
to  know  themselves;  and,  secondly,  that  they 
might  learn  to  know  their  absolute  dependence 
upon  God.  "  The  Lord  led  thee  these  forty 
years  in  the  wilderness,  to  humble  thee  and  to 
prove  thee ;  to  know  what  was  in  thine  heart, 
whether  thou  wouldst  keep  his  commandments 
or  no.  And  he  humbled  thee  and  suffered  thee 
to  hunger,  and  fed  thee  with  manna,  which  thou 
knewest  not,  neither  did  thy  fathers  know ;  that 
he  might  make  thee  know  that  man  doth  not  live 
by  bread  only,  but  by  every  word  that  proceed- 
eth  out  of  the  mouth  of  the  Lord  doth  man  live. 
Thy  raiment  waxed  not  old  upon  thee,  neither 
did  thy  feet  swell  these  forty  years.  Thou  shalt 
also  consider  in  thine  heart,  that  as  a  man 
chasteneth  his  son,  so  the  Lord  thy  God  chasten- 


IN  CHASTENING  MAN. 


505 


eth  thee.  Therefore  thou  shalt  keep  the  com- 
mandments of  the  Lord  thy  God,  to  walk  in  his 
ways  and  to  fear  him." 

Let  us  consider,  then,  more  at  length,  in  what 
manner  God  tried  the  Israelites  in  the  wilderness 
— what  were  his  designs  in  doing  this  —  and  for 
whom  these  designs  were  accomplished.  These 
subjects  will  furnish  abundant  matter  for  our  in- 
struction, and  the  improvement  of  the  various 
events  of  our  own  lives. 

L  The  way  in  which  God  tried  the  Israelites 
in  the  wilderness  was  this  :~-He  was  perpetually 
exposing  them  to  difficulties  and  dangers,  which 
were  calculated  to  try  the  strength  of  their  faith 
and  trust  in  him.  At  one  time  their  fears  were 
excited  by  the  report  of  the  warlike  condition  of 
their  enemies,  who  threatened  to  destroy  them 
by  formidable  armies.  Now,  they  were  alarmed 
by  the  dread  of  being  starved  in  the  wilderness  ; 
having  no  cattle  with  them,  and  seeing  no  human 
method  of  sustenance,  except  what  they  could 
gain  with  the  sword  from  the  hostile  nations  around 
them.  Now  they  were  distressed  by  the  want  of 
water  in  the  parched  and  sandy  desert,  where  a 
supply  could  scarcely  be  obtained  for  a  small  ca- 
ravan, much  less  for  a  whole  nation.  Then  again 
the  fears  of  the  prudent  and  cautious  amongst 
them  would  greatly  be  excited  by  the  want  of 
clothing  for  so  vast  a  multitude,  in  a  place  where 
none  could  possibly  be  procured.  At  another 
time  they  were  terrified  by  the  appearance  of 
dreadful  serpents,  whose  venemous  bite  caused 
certain  death.    Thus  one  source  of  alarm  and 


506 


ON  THE  PURPOSES  OK  GOD 


fear,  and  one  danger  after  another,  continually 
presented  themselves  to  every  cautious  and  re- 
flecting mind. 

Here,  then,  I  beg  you  to  observe,  that  God 
who  had  chosen  the  children  of  Israel  for  his  own 
peculiar  people,  wisely  and  deliberately  intended 
to  bring  them  into  these  straights  and  difficulties, 
and  to  expose  them  to  these  various  dangers.  It 
was  a  special  act  both  of  his  goodness  and  of  his 
wisdom,  shewn  to  the  descendants  of  Abraham, 
Isaac,  and  Jacob,  whom  he  loved,  thus  to  disci- 
pline them  and  to  instruct  them,  that  he  might 
do  them  good  in  the  latter  end.  Let  us,  then, 
neither  be  surprised,  as  if  some  strange  thing  had 
happened  to  us,  when  we  fall  into  divers  tempta- 
tions, nor  dejected  as  though  it  were  a  proof  of 
God's  neglect  of  us.  It  is  in  reality  a  presump- 
tion of  his  attention  to  us,  and  of  his  regard  for 
us :  for  whom  the  Lord  loveth  he  chasteneth, 
and  scourgeth  every  son  whom  he  receiveth." 

The  conduct  of  God  is  described  in  a  following 
verse  by  a  metaphor  taken  from  that  of  a  father 
to  his  son  :  —  Thou  shalt  also  consider  in  thine 
heart,  that,  as  a  man  chasteneth  his  son,  so  the 
Lord  thy  God  chasteneth  thee."  He  not  only 
brought  them  into  trials,  but  corrected  them 
for  their  disobedience.  He  did  not  pass  by  their 
transgressions,  but  punished  them  and  taught 
them  clearly  to  perceive  that  he  would  not  suffer 
them  to  sin  against  him.  Very  glad  would  they 
probably  have  been  if  he  would  have  left  them  to 
themselves,  like  the  nations  around  them :  but  he 
had  too  great  a  regard  for  them  to  do  so.  He 
chastened  them  —  he  kept  them  in  a  state  of 


IN  CHASTENING  MAN. 


507 


discipline  continually  —  that  they  might  more 
thoroughly  learn  the  important  lessons  which  he 
intended  to  teach  them,  and  be  more  fully  pre- 
pared and  fitted  for  the  blessings  which  he  in- 
tended to  bestow  on  them. 

II.  What,  then,  were  the  designs  which  God 
had  in  view  in  thus  bringing  the  Israelites  into 
these  difficulties,  and  in  thus  correcting  them  ? 

1.  The  first  was,  that  they  might  know  themselves: 
that  he  might  humble  them,  and  prove  them,  to 
know  what  was  in  their  hearts,  whether  they 
would  keep  his  commandments  or  no. 

The  Israelites  did  not  appear  likely  to  be  very 
proud  while  they  were  in  Egypt.  As  far  as  great 
poverty  and  a  most  abject  state  of  bondage  can 
humble  a  people,  they  were  likely  to  be  humbled, 
under  the  power  of  Pharaoh  ;  but  there  may  be 
much  depression  of  spirits,  and  an  abjection  even 
bordering  on  despair,  (as  seems  to  have  been  the 
case  with  the  Hebrews,  when  they  entreated 
Moses  to  let  them  alone,  and  not  attempt  to 
deliver  them,)  without  any  true  self-knowledge, 
or  real  humiliation.  True  humiliation  springs 
from  a  thorough  acquaintance  with  ourselves, 
from  much  observation  of  the  manner  in  which 
we  act,  under  various  circumstances  of  trial,  par- 
ticularly after  we  have  been  blessed  with  great 
mercies.  Hence  it  pleased  God  first  to  distin- 
guish the  Israelites  by  very  uncommon  blessings. 
They  were  brought  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt  with 
a  mighty  hand  and  a  stretched  out  arm,  and  with 
most  signal  displays  of  Divine  power  and  mercy. 
The  laws  of  nature  were  suspended  for  their  pro- 


508  ON  THE  PURPOSES  OF  GOD 

tection,  and  the  enemies  who  had  oppressed  them 
were  left  dead  at  their  feet.    At  first  they  ap- 
peared to  be  very  grateful  to  God  their  Deliverer. 
They  acknowledged  his  mercies,  and  loudly  sang 
his  praises :  but  the  time  was  yet  to  come  in 
which  the  sincerity  of  their  gratitude  would  be 
tried  and  proved.  And  God  soon  furnished  them 
with  abundant  opportunities  (which  were  doubt- 
less improved  by  all  who  were  truly  pious  amongst 
them)  of  knowing  themselves  thoroughly,  and  of 
being  most  deeply  humbled.    For  how  did  they 
act  when  brought  into  circumstances  of  trial? 
When  the  spies  made  a  report  of  the  formidable 
power  of  the  Canaanites,  they  immediately  gave 
way  to  alarm  and  fear,  as  if  God,  who  had  brought 
them  out  of  Egypt,  and  destroyed  Pharaoh,  could 
not  save  them.    When  they  wanted  bread,  they 
murmured  against  God,  as  if  he  had  led  them  out 
into  the  wilderness  only  to  destroy  them.  When 
they  were  destitute  of  water,  they  cried  out  that 
they  should  perish  by  thirst.    They  were  miracu- 
lously supplied  with  manna ;  and  then  they  longed 
for  flesh.    They  were  surrounded  by  the  visible 
proofs  of  God's  presence — the  pillar,  the  cloud, 
the  thunderings  and  lightnings,  on  Sinai ;  and  yet 
they  called  upon  Aaron  to  make  them  gods  like 
the  nations  around  them,  and  to  lead  them  back 
again  into  Egypt !    In  a  word,  if  they  paid  any 
attention  at  all  to  their  state,  they  might  plainly 
discern  in  themselves  the  most  base  ingratitude, 
the  most  shameful  and  unreasonable  distrust  of 
their  great  Benefactor,  the  most  disgraceful  pre- 
dominance of  carnal  appetite  over  reason  and 
duty,  the  most  inexcusable  folly  and  sinfulness. 


IN  CHASTENING  MAN. 


509 


Their  knowledge  of  themselves  proved  only  the 
knowledge  of  their  depravity ;  and  if  they  had  a 
spark  of  generous  feeling  left,  they  would  be  for 
ever  ashamed  of  themselves,  deeply  repent  of 
their  sinfulness,  confess  that  they  were  totally 
unworthy  of  the  least  of  God's  mercies,  and 
never  again  open  their  lips  in  justification  of 
themselves,  in  murmuring  against  God,  or  in 
censuring  others. 

We  may  remark  here,  that  the  circumstances 
in  which  the  Israelites  were  placed  did  not  create 
the  sinful  dispositions  which  they  manifested,  but 
only  called  them  forth.  The  dispositions  were 
there  before  ;  and  God  clearly  saw  their  true  cha- 
racter, though,  till  their  trials  had  brought  them 
into  action,  they  would  not  probably  have  con- 
ceived that  there  could  be  so  much  evil  in  them. 
Had  the  Israelites  been  exposed  to  no  particular 
dangers  and  temptations,  they  would  probably 
not  have  appeared  more  corrupt  than  any  other 
people  ;  but  their  trials  were  uncommon,  and 
their  sinfulness  was,  it  must  be  allowed,  extreme. 
— Self-knowledge  consists,  not  only  in  knowing 
what  we  have  done,  but  in  knowing  what  we  may 
do,  when  temptation  calls  out  our  latent  depra- 
vity. This  is  seen  by  God ;  but  men  only  view 
it  when  it  appears  in  action,  and  therefore  often 
judge  favourably  of  themselves,  when,  if  they 
knew  their  own  hearts,  they  would  see  much 
cause  rather  to  be  humbled  for  their  corruption. 

It  appears,  then,  to  be  the  will  of  God,  that 
men  should  know  themselves  thoroughly,  and  of 
course  be  deeply  humbled  for  their  unworthiness. 
and  sincerely  repent  of  their  sins.    And  in  fact^ 


510  ON  THE  PURPOSES  OF  GOD 

what  is  this  knowledge  but  the  knowledge  of 
truth  ?  While  we  think  highly  of  ourselves,  we 
are  in  a  state  of  delusion ;  we  do  not  see  things  as 
they  really  are ;  but  are  totally  deceived  as  to  our 
true  situation,  and  therefore  must  form  a  wrong 
judgment  respecting  every  thing  around  us  :  for 
where  a  man  is  grossly  mistaken  as  to  some  fun- 
damental point,  his  ignorance  will  possess  more 
or  less  influence  with  respect  to  a  great  variety 
of  other  truths  which  are  dependent  upon  it,  so 
that  he  will  form  a  wrong  judgment  concerning 
them  also.  If,  therefore,  a  man  has  not  a  proper 
knowledge  of  himself  and  his  true  state,  he  can 
form  no  right  judgment  concerning  God,  con- 
cerning his  dispensations  towards  him,  concern- 
ing the  redemption  of  Christ  Jesus,  or  concerning 
eternal  life.  We  may  be  well  assured,  that  it  is 
of  the  utmost  consequence  that  we  should  tho- 
roughly know  ourselves,  since  God  suffered  the 
children  of  Israel  to  wander  forty  years  in  the 
wilderness,  that  he  might  teach  them  this  know- 
ledge. 

2.  But  the  second  point,  in  which  it  was  the 
intention  of  God  to  instruct  the  Israelites,  and  in 
them  all  mankind,  was  their  absolute  dependence  upon 
himself,  He  fed  them  with  manna,  which  nei- 
ther they  nor  their  fathers  had  known  ; "  in  order 
that  he  might  make  them  know  that  men  do  not 
live  by  bread  only,  but  by  every  word  that  pro- 
ceedeth  out  of  the  mouth  of  the  Lord  do  men  live. 

If  ever  pains  were  taken  by  the  Almighty  deeply 
to  impress  any  truth  upon  the  mind  of  man,  it  was 
that  of  entire  dependence  upon  himself,  as  the 
Author  and  Giver  of  all  good.    This  he  laboured 


IN  CHASTENING  MAN. 


511 


to  inculcate  upon  the  minds  of  the  Israelites  by 
the  whole  course  of  his  proceedings.  They  were 
brought  out  of  Egypt,  not  of  their  own  motion  or 
choice,  but  by  his  special  call.  He  had  provided 
a  country  for  them,  and  he  charged  himself  with 
conducting  them  into  it.  Pharaoh  resisted  them; 
difficulties  were  multiplied  to  oppose  them  ;  but 
every  difficulty  served  only  to  enhance  the  great- 
ness of  the  power  which  overcame  it,  and  to 
point  out  more  manifestly  the  hand  of  the  Most 
High.    The  sea  opened  a  passage  for  them,  and 
swallowed  up  their  pursuers  ;  the  strong  rock  in 
the  desert  poured  out  for  them  copious  streams' 
of  water,  which  followed  them  in  their  course :  a 
cloud  miraculously  shaded  them  from  the  intense 
heat  by  day,  and  a  pillar  of  fire  gave  them  light 
by  night :  manna  fell  around  them,  in  sufficient 
quantity  to  support  them  all  abundantly:  their 
clothes  waxed  not  old  upon  them,  nor  did  their 
feet  swell :  quails  came  daily,'  and  fell  around 
their  camp  in  such  abundance  as  amply  to  supply 
all  their  wants.    Were  they  bitten  by  serpents  ? 
they  were  miraculously  healed  by  only  looking 
to  one  of  brass.   Did  they  want  to  pass  over  into 
the  country  which  God  had  given  them  ?  the 
waters  of  Jordan  flowed  back,  and  left  them  a 
dry  passage  through  its  channel.    And  the  walls 
of  their  enemies'  cities  fell  down  at  their  approach. 
— Could  any  facts  indicate  in  a  more  striking 
manner  the  presence  and  the  agency  of  the  Al- 
mighty God  ?    This  was  the  very  knowledge  he 
intended  to  inculcate.    He  wished  them  to  be 
thoroughly  convinced  —  to  be  pi^actically  con- 
vinced, I  mean,  (for  there  is  a  great  difference  be- 


512  ON  THE  PURPOSES  OF  GOD 

tween  acknowledging  the  presence  and  agency  of 
God  with  the  understanding,  and  acknowledging 
them  with  the  heart,) — of  the  continual  presence, 
constant  superintendence,  never-ceasing  agency 
of  that  great  and  glorious  Being  who  made  us, 
and  in  whom  we  live  and  move  and  have  our 
being. 

More  important  knowledge  than  this  of  the 
providence  of  God,  cannot  be  learned  by  men. 
While  we  thus  practically  know  the  power  and 
presence  of  God,  we  shall  feel  the  dispositions 
which  that  knowledge  ought  to  inspire  ;  we  shall 
watch  over  our  conduct  with  a  filial  dread  of 
offending  him ;  we  shall  place  an  unbounded 
confidence  in  his  wisdom  to  direct,  his  power  to 
strengthen,  his  providence  to  defend,  his  goodness 
to  bless  us  ;  we  shall  cease  to  have  any  will  of 
our  own,  and  become  anxious  only  that  his  will 
should  be  done ;  we  shall  submit  to  him  with 
perfect  resignation,  and  endeavour  in  all  things  to 
obey  his  commands.  This  was  the  great  end  and 
aim  of  all  the  discipline  with  which  God  visited 
the  Israelites  in  the  wilderness  :    Therefore  thou 
shalt  keep  the  commandments  of  the  Lord  thy 
God,  to  walk  in  his  ways,  and  to  fear  him." 

Here  let  me  remark,  that  the  designs  of  the 
Almighty,  in  his  dispensations  towards  the  Israel- 
ites, were  wholly  of  a  moral  and  religious  nature. 
He  had  it  not  in  view  merely  to  give  them  tem- 
poral happiness  —  that  would  have  been  a  small 
thing ;  —  nor  merely  to  conduct  them  safely 
through  the  wilderness  to  Canaan  : — it  was  his 
object  to  detain  them  for  forty  years  under  a 
state  of  moral  discipline,  to  give  them  the  know- 


IN  CHASTENING  MAN. 


513 


ledge  of  some  most  important  truths:  nor  did 
He,  who  appreciates  every  thing  according  to 
truth,  think  that  the  wandering  even  for  forty 
years,  and  this  long  exposure  to  continual  trials 
and  distresses,  was  too  great  a  price  for  the  im- 
portant acquisitions  which  they  were  to  make. 

Let  us  observe,  from  this  remarkable  history, 
the  difference  between  the  views  of  God  and 
man.  Man  looks  only  at  present  things,  God 
at  the  future:  man  has  respect  to  the  few  minutes 
of  this  life,  God  to  the  endless  ages  of  eternity  : 
man  considers  the  body  only,  God  the  soul : 
man  wishes  to  dwell  in  carnal  security,  God 
would  have  him  improve  in  the  knowledge  of 
Divine  truth :  man,  like  the  Prodigal  Son,  would 
depart  from  God,  and  be  subject  to  no  controul ; 
God,  like  a  wise  and  kind  father,  will  not  suffer 
him  to  leave  him :  he  follows  him  with  trials  and 
distresses,  to  bring  him  back  to  his  father's  house. 
The  object  of  man  is  only  to  enjoy  himself  here  ; 
that  of  God  is  to  fit  him  for  a  higher  and  more 
glorious  state  hereafter. 

III.  Having  thus  taken  a  view  of  the  purposes 
of  God  toward  the  Israelites  in  the  desert,  it  re- 
mains that  we  consider  for  whose  instruction  these 
designs  were  accomplished. 

And  here  I  must  revert  to  my  former  observa- 
tion, that  God  gave,  in  his  conduct  to  the  Israel- 
ites, an  example  to  the  whole  world,  of  the  objects 
which  he  has  in  view,  and  of  the  purposes  he 
proposes  to  accomplish  in  his  dispensations  with 
man,  and  of  the^^inner  in  which  he  does  accom- 
plish them. 

VOL.  If.  2  L 


514 


Oy  THE  PURPOSES  OF  GOD 


I  would  address  you,  then,  my  brethren,  as  a 
congregation  of  the  people  of  God  who  are  yet 
in  the  wilderness.  You  are  travelling  through  the 
wilderness  of  this  world  :  God  is  leading  you,  as 
members  of  the  church  of  Christ,  to  a  heavenly 
Canaan,  a  land  of  eternal  rest  ;  but  in  the  mean 
time  he  detains  you  for  a  season  in  the  desert, 
for  the  very  same  ends  as  he  detained  the  Israel- 
ites, that  he  may  humble  you  and  prove  you,  to 
know  what  is  in  your  hearts ;  and  that  he  may 
cause  you  to  know  that  man  doth  not  live  by 
bread  only,  but  by  every  word  that  proceedeth 
out  of  the  mouth  of  God. 

Do  you  consider,  then,  my  Christian  brethren, 
that  you  are  now  under  a  state  of  discipline  ?  Do 
you  know  that  you  are,  like  the  children  of  Israel, 
under  the  guidance  of  God,  conducting  you  to  a 
better  country  ?  The  thought  is  a  ver\-  interesting 
one :  and  God  grant  that  I  may  speak  to  your 
hearts,  while  I  endeavour  to  set  forth  the  views 
and  designs  which  he  entertains  towards  you ! 

In  the  first  place,  he  makes  use  of  afflictions 
and  trials  to  prove  you,  as  he  did  the  Israelites  of 
old.  These  trials  you  have  doubtless  felt;  but  have 
you  seen  the  hand  of  God  in  them  ?  Have  you 
considered  that  this  is  part  of  the  discipline  and 
chastening  which  God  in  his  infinite  mercy  ex- 
ercises over  you.  It  is  the  nature  of  man  to  be 
stupid  and  insensible  v,^th  respect  to  Divine 
things,  or  Divine  teaching.  God  speaks  plainly, 
but  man  will  not  hear.  God  manifested  his 
presence  sufficiently  to  the  Israelites  in  the  wil- 
derness ;  but  they  were  slow  in  learning  that  he 
was  ever  with  them  to  instruct  and  to  bless  them, 


IN  CHASTENING  MAN. 


515 


and  that  what  they  suffered  or  enjoyed  proceeded 
from  him.  How  little  does  the  world  in  general 
look  at  the  appointment  of  God  in  all  their 
trials!— One  man  has  loved  the  partner  of  his 
bosom,  the  companion  of  his  soul,  who  alone  gave 
to  life  its  sweetest  enjoyment :  he  now  deplores 
her  loss,  and  is  ready  to  throw  away  life  as  no 
longer  of  any  value.  He  asks  why  God  should  so 
blast  all  his  prospects.  God  does  it  to  humble  and 
to  prove  thee.  Thou  wert,  perhaps,  setting  up  thy 
rest  in  this  wilderness  of  the  world.  Thou  wert 
living  to  thyself,  unmindful  of  the  end  of  thy 
creation,  of  thy  Maker,  and  of  a  future  state  ;  and 
God  has  now  awakened  thee  to  see  what  this 
world  is,  that  thou  mightest  seek  earnestly  for  a 
better,  and  endeavour  to  know  thy  God,  that  thy 
soul  may  be  saved  in  the  day  of  judgment. — 
Another  has  laid  his  schemes  so  wisely  that  he 
cannot  fail  of  attaining  wealth  and  prosperity. 
He  has  used  all  possible  precautions,  and  exer- 
cised the  utmost  care  which  prudence  can  suggest. 
But,  behold,  his  schemes  do  not  succeed.  Events, 
totally  unexpected,  occur  and  blast  them ;  and  he 
blames  this  or  that  person,  or  vents  his  anger  upon 
outward  circumstances.  Let  him  know  that  God 
has  observed  his  plans,  and  has  chosen  to  disap- 
point them.  Why  ?  It  is  a  part  of  his  paternal 
discipline :  the  reason  you  my  see  hereafter  very 
clearly,  and  bless  God  for  it.  You  loved  the 
world  too  well ;  and  it  was  kind  in  God  to  give 
you  such  a  check. — Another  person  sets  out  with 
high  expectations  of  attaining  fame  and  reputa- 
tion for  talents  or  science.  His  hopes  are  every 
day  fairer.    But  perhaps  a  fever  interposes,  and 


516  ON  THE  PURPOSES  OF  GOD 

destroys  the  capacity  for  application,  and  defeats 
all  his  expectations.  How  cruel !  he  is  ready  to 
exclaim;  how  cruel  the  disappointment!  How 
wise,  and  how  gracious !  will  every  one  say  who 
is  properly  sensible  of  the  wisdom  and  goodness 
of  the  designs  of  God.  It  is  said  in  Scripture, 
that  there  are  some  whom  God  leaves  to  them- 
selves to  prosper  in  the  world.  They  have  chil- 
dren at  their  desire :  they  come  into  no  trouble 
like  others :  whatever  they  do  succeeds  in  their 
hands.  This  the  Scripture  teaches  us  to  consider 
as  no  certain  sign  of  the  good  will  of  the  Lord. 

As  for  me,"  says  the  holy  Psalmist,  all  the 
day  long  have  I  been  afflicted,  and  chastened 
every  morning." — You  see  then,  my  brethren,  the 
light  in  which  those  various  disappointments  and 
trials,  which  are  so  grievously  complained  of  in 
the  world,  are  viewed  by  the  Almighty.  He  sends 
them  as  mercies  to  you :  will  you  receive  them 
as  such  ?  Do  you  so  value  the  beneficial  ends 
which  God  proposes  by  them,  that  you  will  cheer- 
fully welcome  the  trial  for  the  sake  of  the  spi- 
ritual advantage  ?  It  is  well  for  us  that  God  does 
not  consult  us  with  respect  to  his  appointments. 
We  should  no  more  approve  them  than  a  child 
does  of  our  correction.  We  do  not  love  to  be 
thwarted  and  disappointed  :  but  it  is  often  very 
profitable  to  us,  to  humble  us,  and  to  teach  us 
what  is  in  our  hearts.  I  wish,  my  brethren,  to 
impress  you  deeply  with  a  conviction  of  God's 
appointing  all  the  various  trials  of  your  state,  that 
you  may  learn  to  say,  I  behold  in  this  the  hand 
of  God  :  this  is  my  Father's  rod.  What  have  I 
been  doing  ?  What  would  he  have  me  do  ? 


IN  CHASTENIVG  MAN, 


517 


There  is  an  importance  and  a  dignity  given  to 
our  trials,  when  we  regard  them  in  this  light :  as 
the  world  generally  views  them,  they  are  bitter 
indeed.  Stupid  and  insensible,  how  many  only 
lament  their  hardships,  and  try  either  to  forget 
their  sorrows,  or  to  acquire  fresh  comforts. — 
Brutish  conduct!  Did  not  thy  Father  appoint 
thy  trials  ?  Had  he  no  end  to  answer  by  them  ? 
Does  he  willingly  grieve  and  afflict  the  children 
of  men  ?  Know  the  rod,  and  who  has  appointed 
it ;  that  it  is  His  hand,  and  that  He  corrects  thee 
with  the  tenderness  of  a  father. 

What,  then,  is  his  aim  ?  It  is  to  teach  thee  to 
know  thyself  and  him. — To  knozv  thyself.  You 
will  tell  me,  perhaps,  you  do  know  yourself  suffi- 
ciently :  you  will  acknowledge  you  are  a  weak, 
sinful  creature.  To  say  this  from  theory  only,  is 
a  very  different  thing  from  saying  it  from  expe- 
rience. Self-knowledge  is  not  soon  taught :  it 
is  not  learned  in  a  day,  or  a  month,  or  a  year  : 
a  whole  life  is  well  spent  in  attaining  it.  You 
cannot  acquire  it  merely  by  reading  books,  or  by 
meditating  on  it  in  your  study :  it  must  be  the 
result  of  long  and  painful  observation  of  your 
own  heart. — Job  was  a  wise  and  good  man :  but 
he  never  knew  himself  till  after  his  severe  trials. 
Be  content,  therefore,  and  thankful  to  learn  in 
the  church  of  Christ ;  and  never  think  you  know 
yourself  aright,  till  the  sense  of  your  own  ingra- 
titude, corruption,  and  unworthiness  affects  you 
with  the  deepest  self-abasement,  and  leads  you 
to  true  repentance. 

But  God  designs  also  to  teach  you  to  k?20w 
him.    Now,  it  is  the  very  disgrace  of  our  nature 


518  ON  THE  PURPOSES  OF  GOD 

that  we  do  not  know  God,  so  as  at  all  times  to 
entertain  the  most  perfect  confidence  in  him.  You 
are  amazed  at  the  stupidity  of  the  Israelites; 
they  had  so  many  proofs  of  the  presence  of  God  ! 
and  have  not  you  as  many  ?  Does  not  every  thing 
around  you  indicate  the  presence  of  an  almighty, 
wise,  and  gracious  Being,  as  the  miracles  did  to 
the  Israelites  ?  But  what  use  do  you  make  of 
them  ?  There  is  an  atheistical  principle  in  the 
hearts  of  all  men.  Is  this  eradicated  ?  Do  you 
acknowledge  God  in  all  things  ?  Do  you  see  his 
hand  ?  Do  you  trust  his  wisdom  and  goodness  ? 
Do  you,  in  a  word,  refer  to  him  in  all  things,  fear 
him,  love  him,  serve  him,  obey  him  ? 

You  see,  my  brethren,  in  what  light  this  sub- 
ject places  the  present  world,  and  our  occupation 
in  it.  God  acts  according  to  his  own  maxim, 
that  the  care  of  the  soul  is  above  all  things  im- 
portant ;  What  shall  it  profit  a  man,  if  he  gain 
the  whole  world,  and  lose  his  soul.''"  You  see  that 
the  salvation  of  the  soul  is  made  the  chief  object 
in  God's  esteem ;  and  it  should  be  so  in  ours. 
We  are  perpetually  living  in  error  :  we  think  this 
world,  and  the  things  of  it,  important ;  but  God 
thinks  them  of  no  value,  except  as  instrumental 
in  the  work  of  converting  or  edifying  the  soul. 
Thus  learn  to  think  of  all  the  events  of  this  life : 
be  convinced  that  they  are  important  only  as  they 
relate  to  another. 

Further  ;  repine  not  at  God's  discipline.  He 
intends  to  do  you  good  hereafter,  and  in  the 
mean  time  he  wishes  you  to  depend  wholly  on 
himself  for  every  blessing.    He  is  good,  infinitely 


IN  CHASTENING  MAN. 


519 


beyond  all  your  conceptions.  Look  forward  to 
the  glory  ready  to  be  revealed.  Is  it  not  worth 
while  to  submit  to  discipline  for  such  a  prize  ? 
Be  not,  then,  like  the  Israelites,  stubborn  and 
faithless  ;  disobedient  to  God,  and  perpetually 
provoking  him  to  anger,  though  he  was  their 
Friend  and  Father,  and  doing  them  good  con- 
tinually. Trust  thou  in  the  Lord,  and  be  doing 
good.  Leave  every  thing  here  to  his  disposal, 
and  truly  you  will  have  cause  to  the  end  to  adore 
his  goodness. 

Lastly ;  let  this  subject  lead  you  to  reflect  upon 
the  manner  in  which  it  pleases  God  to  save  us 
through  Jesus  Christ.  It  was  God  who  brought 
the  Israelites  out  of  the  house  of  bondage,  and 
from  the  land  of  Egypt.  By  the  Angel  of  his 
presence  he  saved  them  ;  by  his  almighty  power 
he  protected  and  delivered  them ;  and,  in  like 
manner,  to  the  mercy  and  goodness  of  God  alone 
we  must  be  indebted  for  our  deliverance  from 
worse  than  Egyptian  bondage,  and  for  an  entrance 
into  the  heavenly  Canaan.  God  hath  sent  his 
beloved  Son  to  be  our  Conductor  and  Guide — 
Him  are  we  to  follow :  his  voice  we  are  to  hear : 
he  is  to  be  our  Saviour :  and  as  it  would  have 
been  the  highest  degree  of  presumption  and  mad- 
ness for  the  Israelites  to  have  attempted  to  deliver 
themselves  from  Pharaoh  by  their  own  power, 
or  to  plant  themselves  in  Canaan  by  their  own 
might ;  so  it  is  equally  absurd  and  vain  in  us  to 
expect  salvation  except  from  the  mercy  and  grace 
of  Christ.  As  God  glorified  himself  by  the  de- 
struction of  Pharaoh,  as  he  magnified  his  power 
in  the  sight  of  the  whole  world  by  conducting  the 


520 


ON  THE  PURPOSES  OF  GOD. 


Israelites  through  the  wilderness  ;  so  does  Christ 
magnify  himself  as  the  Captain  of  our  salvation 
in  his  triumph  over  the  enemies  of  our  souls. — 
Let  us,  then,  humble  ourselves  :  let  us  be  deeply 
conscious  of  our  unworthiness  and  corruption; 
let  us  place  no  confidence  in  our  own  resolution, 
wisdom,  or  power ;  but  place  all  our  dependence, 
with  gratitude,  with  hope,  and  with  obedience, 
upon  Him  who  is  mighty  to  save — upon  the  Re- 
deemer, who  saw  and  pitied  our  wretched  estate ; 
who  saw  that  there  was  no  one  to  help  us,  and 
therefore  his  own  arm  brought  salvation  unto  him, 
and  his  righteousness  it  sustained  him.  He  is  the 
only  Saviour  of  sinners,  and  he  requires  of  them 
humiliation,  and  dependence  on  himself,  that  we 
may  not  boast  before  God,  but  that  all  the  glory 
and  honour  may  be  ascribed  to  Him.  He  that 
glorieth,  let  him  glory  in  the  Lord." 


FINIS. 


Kllerton  and  Henderson,  Printers, 
Guugb  Square,  London. 


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